Timeless
by Gaia v
Summary: SEQUEL TO 'UNCONDITIONAL': Twelve years in captivity can change a person. 14 years even more so. When Alina Blake escapes captivity, the world around her has changed. Torture, Loss and Heartbreak have harsh consequences;can love truly survive them?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a sequel to 'Unconditional' and it will be difficult to understand without reading that first so if you haven't i'd recomend doing so! Hope you enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, it all belongs to JK Rowling, apart from the various OC's which I myself may take credit for :)**

**Chapter 1:**

**July 1993**

'_Harry's alive, Peter escaped, Alli's pregnant.'_

Sirius Black sat in the corner of his cell, chanting the same words over and over in his mind. Unlike the countless other prisoners who surrounded him he had not succumbed to the insanity that was considered inevitable in Azkaban prison.

The words he had chanted, over and over for the last twelve years, had acted as an invisible Patronus; protecting him from losing himself to the nightmares of his past.

'Black.'

His head jerked up in surprise at the sound of his name; he often went years between people addressing him. Whether it being the taunts of his cousin Bellatrix, or the disgust of Aurors.

In this occasion it was the current Minister of Magic; Cornelius Fudge.

'Minister' he nodded a greeting, fighting the urge to smile at the look of surprise in the man's eyes at having been addressed so _normally _in the place normality was so rarely seen.

'You don't suppose I could have that paper if you're finished with it, do you?' he asked politely, eyeing it hungrily 'I haven't had much to read in here, and I do like the occasional crossword'

'I – erm – well I –'

It took a lot of effort to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the man. How could _he _be in control of the Wizarding world?

Seemingly in shock at his sane manner, dumbfounded Fudge handed over the paper, and Sirius let out a sigh of relief.

'Thank you' he grinned, causing Fudge to grimace with distaste.

Sirius shook his head, he remembered a time when his grin melted hearts and caused envy amongst other men, nowadays it only seemed to disgust people.

_That's what twelve years in hell does to you._

As the Minister continued further into the prison, Sirius settled himself on the floor in his dingy cell, squinting to read the printed title.

**MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE.**

His eyes flickered down to the black and white picture of the aged, yet familiar faces of Molly and Arthur Weasley and what must be their children. Some of whom he remembered running around the Headquarters' living room as toddlers.

Before his eyes saw him, before his heart raced in his chest and his eyes widened in shock, he quietly chuckled as he remembered Molly vowing never to have any more children as she struggled to contain the twin boys that reeked havoc the moment they could walk.

But the thought diminished the second he saw him sitting on the boys shoulder.

Right in the middle of the photo, with one toe missing.

Peter Pettigrew.

'_Harry's alive, Peter escaped, Alli's pregnant._'

He had to get out of there. That he was certain of. If Peter was able to get into Hogwarts with that boy, where Harry was, he had to stop him.

He had dreamed for years of finally destroying Peter Pettigrew; the man who single handed had taken away everything he cherished, everything he lived for.

For a second he allowed himself the rarity of thinking of _her. _

Was she all right? Was the baby all right? It would be the same age as Harry now if it had..._Survived._

He flinched at the thought causing the habitual chanting to suddenly cease.

And silence to take its place.

A silence that filled him with utter fear.

How long had he been chanting alone? How long ago had her voice faded away from his? They had been chanting together, keeping each other strong, how could he have not known she wasn't there?

'Alli?' he whispered, reaching out with everything he had deep inside of him.

No reply.

Placing his head in his hands he let out a shaky breath.

_I'm not going to lose it. Not this time._

This time he needed to think rationally.

He needed to get out of here.

He needed to kill Peter.

And he needed to find Alina.

It was in his dreams where the answer came to him.

For weeks he had been tormenting himself, searching for a way to escape the prison and to find Peter.

To find Alina.

Thinking about her, something over the years he had stopped himself from doing, had brought him the idea.

It had caused him to reflect on all the time they had spent together, it had made him think of Hogwarts.

And of course, thinking of Hogwarts made him think of the Marauders; made him think of James.

He dreamt of the nights he used to run wild through the forest with his best friends in their animagus forms.

The way Moony wouldn't attack them like he would humans.

And then he had it; his animagus form.

How could it have taken him this many years to figure it out? The Dementors could not sense animals in the way they sensed humans.

_It's perfect._

He saw no time bothering to wait, or to plan. Patience was never one of his strongest traits and from his own experience impulse was far more successful for him.

He waited for the night to fall and darkness to consume the prison. He could hear the whimpering and the screams of the newest residents and glancing around to check nobody was watching before transforming into the familiar wolfish dog.

As he slipped through the bars in his cell he acknowledged how much weight he had lost over the years; he would never have been able to get through such a small space when he had arrived in the prison.

Slowly, ensuring that he made no noise, he slinked towards the exit weaving in and out of the countless Dementors that taunted Azkaban's captives.

He knew he was in the deepest delves of the prison, far below the seas surface and as he climbed up the winding stone staircase he struggled to quieten his panting.

Another thing that had deteriorated throughout the years; his fitness.

As he neared the top of the staircase, and crouched low as he made his way into the entrance hall he vaguely recalled being dragged into, it seemed ridiculous how empty the place was.

How reliant the prison was on the powers of the Dementors.

_Not that anyone had escaped them before._

Slipping past the final few Dementors that guarded the entrance, Sirius made his way out into the night.

As he slipped and stumbled down the islands rocky surface he breathed deeply in the salty fresh air, filling his lungs with richness they had craved for twelve years.

He raised his head as he reached the water's edge and before he dived into its ice cold clutches, he let out an animalistic howl of delight.

_He was free._

* * *

><p>A burst of air that expanded her lungs caused her to awaken with a jerk. She gasped as she sat up, her eyes wide with shock.<p>

It was the first time in she didn't know how long that she could truly see her surroundings, the white walls, and floor and doorway. Her own personal prison.

Over the years she had resorted to her old technique of self preservation, and retreated into herself. Holding herself as a hostage of safety behind the strong barriers of her mind.

The torturing had ceased over the years; the vacant look in her eyes had been mistaken for insanity and they gave up trying to force her compliance.

Every now and then they attempted to break her barriers, to little or no success.

She only lived for one reason now; revenge.

The minute they had destroyed the very thing she had survived for.

The second that she was forced to live her nightmare.

She lost her fight; her drive.

She felt herself slip away from Sirius, the chanting that had kept them together faded from her mind.

He would never forgive her for failing him.

She would never forgive herself.

And yet in the darkness, through the bleakness of her world, a sudden blast of freedom and relief had exploded within her.

Forcing her out of her cocoon.

It was _Him._

She felt her fingertips tingling and her body growing numb.

The room that had just come into focus was suddenly spinning and her vision started to blur.

The world around her was growing darker, darker; she was going to him.

The world came back into sight around her, the cold air blew through her ghost-like form and sucked in a deep breath of fresh air.

The freedom and happiness that had flooded through her before was suddenly sucked away and she felt exhausted and tired.

_Sirius._

She could see the form of a dog dragging itself out of the ocean, clawing at the rocks to drag itself onto the main land and to safety.

Concentrating, she focused on the figure and urged him forward with her mind, ignoring the ache of tiredness that clutched her with its claws.

_She was weak._

Her vision was already growing blurry, but unlike all the previous years, she fought. She had something to fight for.

He was already changing shape, revealing the dishevelled form of a man, lying unconscious on the ground.

'Sirius' his name felt like velvet to her lips and despite the exhaustion she felt a warmth she had forgotten existed in her heart.

She approached his form, flowing amongst the night wind like a spirit.

She stifled a gasp as his appearance became apparent before her eyes. The last time she had seen him he had been twenty-one, and now, the thirty-three year old man before her was barely recognisable.

His face was gaunt and pale, his hair matted and overgrown and he was thin and weak. But despite it all, despite the change in his appearance, he was still beautiful. He still made the heart she was sure she no longer possessed beat erratically.

He made her feel alive.

As her breath deepened, and the feeling of the night air no longer embraced her with its touch, she drew all of the energy she possessed within her and she sent it to him with all the strength she could muster.

And despite her blurred vision and the dizziness, her lips cracked painfully as they stretched into the ghost of a smile as she heard him moan gently, and just about made out his eyes flickering open before she returned back to her prison.

* * *

><p>'Alli' he whispered into the cold night, before shaking his head at his stupidity.<p>

Shivering, he forced his aching limbs to take action and he climbed to his feet.

Of course she hadn't been there, she was gone.

_Just like James and Lily..._

'No' he whispered, shaking the thought from his head. She was not gone; she was lost.

And he would find her.

But first, before anything else, he just needed one glimpse of his Godson.

He had to see Harry.

**A/N: Well there you have it! The first chapter! I hope you've enjoyed it and please, please, review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**July 1993**

She was weak. Over the years her body had grown fragile, but never before had she felt so utterly defenceless. Unable to support her head, it hung lifelessly into her chest, and at the sound of approaching feet she raised her eyes.

His hair blended into the room, matching the white walls that sickened her with their irony; there was nothing light, nothing _good _in this place. Her brain acknowledged the dull pang of hatred and anger for the man before her. The man who had taken everything she had left and had destroyed her.

She wanted to attack him, her mind told her to kill him, to gain satisfaction at watching the light leave his eyes, but her body didn't react.

Her body was far too focused on forcing her lungs to accept the air surrounding her, urging herself to keep living; to not give in to the exhaustion.

So when he muttered the familiar words, the smirk apparent in his tone, her body rejected the command to defend and with a jolt of searing agony in her head, a choked cry and gasp for relief; everything went black.

* * *

><p>Harry had been terrified, of that Sirius was completely certain. As he watched the boy fall back, and in turn almost get flattened by the Knight Bus, he had to physically fight the urge to run over and help him.<p>

It was his fault, of course, that Harry had seen him. The plan was meant to be that he caught a glimpse of his Godson without Harry knowing, before continuing on with his plan, however, that had all gone out of the window the second the boy had come into his vision.

Sirius had been unable to prevent himself from edging closer at the sight of him, he just looked so much like James it was unbelievable. He watched in wonder as the boy dragged his trunk out into the street and shook his head in disbelief, it was like staring at James.

For the first time in a very long time Sirius felt a flicker of happiness as he watched the boy in front of him. It was as if James hadn't completely disappeared as he had always believed; a part of his best friend would always be here.

Simultaneously, amongst the wave of love and happiness for his Godson, sadness seeped through his body. His child would be the same age as Harry. Would they have looked like him? Or had fair hair like their mother?

Were they even alive?

The question haunted his thoughts and he pushed them aside.

He slipped back into the shadows, just before Harry uncertainly stared at the spot he had just been standing in.

When Harry left on the Knight Bus, Sirius couldn't resist moving closer to the Muggle home the boy had grown up in, unable to keep the distaste from his expression.

He recalled all of the times James had spoken of Lily's sister; he remembered Lily's expression when Petunia had sent back the wedding invitation unopened. He was certain that Harry could not have grown up happily here, and glancing briefly through the living room window his suspicions were confirmed.

Turning and running back into the cloak of night, Sirius could not contain the wolfish grin and low chuckle that rumbled through his chest. It appeared Harry did not just take after James in his looks, his heart gleamed with pride; Harry had blown up his Aunt.

* * *

><p>The world was horrifically white, there was no shape or movement or even any shadows, it was just a blinding, harsh white that seared her eyes. However, a cacophony of noise surrounded her, consumed her and seemed to flow through her veins and out into the white abyss.<p>

Her head ached with a blinding pain and she clutched at her ears to try and block out the deafening sounds but nothing happened, it did not quieten, it was as if the noises were coming from within her.

A mixture of screaming, the kind she had grown accustomed to making herself when being tortured, manic laughter and sobbing.

A cold, controlling voice was the most prominent, it was overbearing and the sound of it made her feel sick.

'Do it. Kill them' it hissed.

She shuddered, suddenly feeling very cold.

She didn't want to be here anymore, she didn't like the white; the bright, endless white...

A flash of a face, barely there for even a second, shot into her vision.

Two, empty, grey orb-like eyes pierced her own.

She squinted in concentration but before she had time to focus the face was gone.

Gradually, as she closed her eyes tightly, the noise faded and a ringing silence soon replaced it.

Her head still thumped wildly, and she let out a loud groan.

She moved tentivally, stretching one finger out at a time before slowly testing out each limb for any injuries she had sustained.

Each body part responded fluidly, and despite a dull ache throughout her body, she felt no pain that was cause for alarm.

Begrudgingly, she cracked open her eyes and ignored the sense of frustration as the familiar white surroundings flooded her vision.

'Home sweet home' she muttered mutinously.

It was a few minutes before she realised that for the first time in years, her tatty rags had been exchanged for a set of white robes.

It took a further minute for her to realise that the robes were slightly damp.

However it only took a second for the horrified scream to tear from her throat as she saw the bright red blood that drenched her white robes.

'WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?'

Her shouts echoed around the small room and she knew nobody was listening, but her horror and disgust clouded any rational thinking.

The blood; the sickening redness of it gleaming against the white tiles reminded her...it made her remember all those years ago.

_All that blood._

'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!' she screamed again, fighting against the chains that bound her to the floor.

'NO, NO, NO, NO!' she kicked at the wall, trying to exude her rage.

'What did they do to me?' she whispered, staring down at her bloody robes as a terrifying thought entered her mind.

'What did they make me do?'

Her hands began to shake violently as she attempted to wipe the blood off of her body and her face was suddenly void of tears as the shock set in. After all the years she had been there, she had always managed to stay strong and prevent them from using her as a weapon, yet one lapse in concentration, one moment of weakness, had destroyed it all

She quickly realised that the blood was not going to come out of her already stained robes so she leant back against the wall with a shaky sigh and closed her eyes.

She prayed silently that whoever they had used her against wasn't too badly injured.

_I hope they're not dead._

She closed her eyes and shuddered at the thought, could she have killed someone? Would she ever remember if she had?

After hours of questioning herself she decided upon two things, firstly, she would never be used as a weapon by them again. Secondly, she would use the situation to her advantage.

If they believed she had weakened, that she had finally succumbed to them, she was certain that they would no longer feel the need to so viciously attack her; and so carefully ensure of her restraint.

_They will let their guard down._

A burble of laughter escaped her chapped lips, sounding slightly hysterical in the silence of the cell.

Relaxing her body, and slowly allowing each limb to grow numb, she withdrew back into her mind. Pushing the day's events away from her and returning to her place of safety behind her barriers.

As she closed her eyes and embraced the numbness that overcome her body, the last thing she saw was an image of two grey eyes, filled with a hazy emptiness that tore at Alina's already savaged heart.

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of your reviews! I'm so happy with the response to this story and for that of Unconditional aswell you're all amazing! I was going to wait till Saturday to update, but I was convinced otherwise haha! Thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**August 1995:**

Draco Malfoy slipped quietly out into the dark hallway, silently praying that nobody had heard the slight click of his door closing behind him.

After pausing for a moment to ascertain that there was no disruption, he continued to tiptoe towards the stairway, all his senses alert for any movement.

For what could have been the millionth time this summer he cursed _Potter _and how he had freed their house elf back in second year.

_This was so much easier when that Elf was here._

Scowling, he kept to the shadows as he made his way downstairs and was careful to avoid the third from the bottom that had a habit of creaking. He had had to find an explanation for why he was awake in the middle of the night a few years back, and since then had been careful to avoid that step.

The last thing he wanted to do was to get caught.

It was moments like this, when he snuck through his house, when he used to ask himself why he bothered? Why he risked whatever punishment his father would inflict on him if he were caught. But there was no particular answer that truly stuck out in his mind.

He glanced up at the Grandfather clock that stood before him, and briefly acknowledged the time; four AM. Taking one last look around he extended his wand, pressing its tip onto the number five on the clocks face, and repeated the action onto the three, seven and ten, before stepping back and holding his breath.

In an instant, the clock slid to the side, revealing a staircase leading down to a passage; Draco didn't pause before entering the passage.

He had followed the staircase, repeated the same pattern over and over for years. It had become his own dirty little secret, a forbidden pleasure that he had grown addicted too.

His lips turned up into a slight smile, one that would never be seen publically on his face, as he thought back to the first time he had seen her.

He had been lonely, having been brought up as an only child, within a family that was extremely particular about whom they allowed into his social circle; so when he had discovered her it had been perfect.

A friend.

A real friend of his own, under his very own roof.

Perhaps he had been too naive to see the signs; in all fairness he had been extremely young when they had met. Blinded by his own excitement, he hadn't bothered to question why she was locked in a secret room, or why she couldn't come outside and play, instead he had sat beside her whenever he could convince Dobby to apparate him down to the passage and talk.

But now, as a fifteen year old boy about to enter his fifth year at Hogwarts, Draco was very much aware of the situation she was in.

The fact that she was locked away, the fact that she had never been allowed to go to Hogwarts or even had her existence mentioned to him signalled that she was in an extremely bad position.

Frowning, and attempting to push away the small voice that plagued him, aching to know what use she had to her father, he quietly opened the door at the end of the passage.

Ready once again to meet with the-girl-with-no-name.

* * *

><p>She looked awful when he saw her. She was huddled on the sofa in the corner of the room, staring blankly at the wall opposite her. Her complexion was pale and her clothes were ripped, stained with a reddish colour that looked suspiciously like blood.<p>

When she noticed him at the doorway however, she looked up and smiled. Her grey eyes warming slightly round the edges.

'Draco' she breathed, shifting her position to face him.

He noticed that her movements were stiff.

'You're hurt' his words were not a question.

'How observant of you' she remarked, raising an eyebrow.

'What happened?'

She shrugged.

Her nonchalant reply irritated him and he scowled, frowning with annoyance.

He moved across the room and threw himself down on the sofa beside her, not bothering to reply, if she couldn't be bothered to speak to him properly then he wouldn't bother speaking to her at all.

'You seem angry Draco' she spoke quietly.

'I have no time for you being rude to me' he retorted 'if you're just going to shrug when I speak then I won't come again.'

They both knew that he was lying, but she turned to face him nonetheless, her grey eyes gazing searchingly into his own.

'I'm just so, so tired Draco' she sighed, leaning back into the seat heavily.

For a split second Draco had a crazy urge to put his arm around her, to push her hair out of her face and to comfort her. He ignored the urge, instead clenching his fists.

'Why?' he asked.

She didn't reply for a second, instead she closed her eyes and wiped her hand over her face as if attempting to waken herself up.

'Do you know what they call me Draco?' she asked suddenly, her eyes snapping open and her tone light.

'Sorry, what?' he asked bemused.

Even after all the years he had known her, he had never quite gotten used to the sudden changes in her moods. Unlike the girls at his school he had never been quite able to understand her, she was different; perhaps that was what intrigued him about her.

'Who're _they? _And what do they call you?_' _he quickly continued, picking up on what she had just said. It wasn't often that she ever opened up about very much, no matter how much he pried he rarely got her to tell him anything about why she was there.

'What do _you _call me, Draco?'

'Me? I call you Eve...' he replied, growing increasingly worried that she had lost her mind 'but-'

'- And why do you call me Eve, Draco?' she asked, her voice sounding once again weary.

'Because you asked me too...'

'-And that's because of what _they _call me' she informed him.

'And what is that?' he asked.

'Eversor' she replied, her voice thick with disgust as she spoke.

'Eversor?' he repeated, smirking slightly at the word 'well that's a ridiculous name.'

'It's latin' she told him quietly, turning once again to look at him fully 'it means The Destroyer.'

His gaze wondered from her silvery grey orbs, to her blood stained clothes and finally onto the chains that bound her arms and legs.

Draco Malfoy didn't sleep a wink that night.

* * *

><p>If her estimation was correct it had been two years since they had first gained control of her and it had also been two years since they had tried to do so again.<p>

For the most part Alina had been left alone, she assumed that their either believed that she had fallen into insanity or that she had withdrawn too far within herself to ever resist them again.

_They were wrong._

Her lips twitched into a small smirk and her blue eyes twinkled with the ghost of a glint that had not been present in them for years.

However, it had also been a year since she had sensed Sirius.

Logically, she assumed it was because he was no longer in great need of help or in any real anguish so in a way it satisfied her. But two years of total isolation were taking their toll, with no escape from her own mind into his she had no choice but to relive her own memories and pay attention to her own dreams.

Particularly those grey eyes.

They had been haunting her every thought since she had first seen them. They appeared to her in her dreams and whenever she let her mind wonder during her waking hours, their haunting beauty both terrifying her and intriguing her.

_Who do they belong too?_

Physically shaking her head to block the thoughts, she returned to her newest project; the sharpening of her skills.

Despite the length of time, her determination to escape had only increased rather than waver and she knew without doubt that it was essential that she regained control over her powers.

The idea had come to her when through boredom she had thrown a small pebble across the room.

She then progressed to attempting to move the pebble back to her with her mind; an action that took far longer than she had expected it too and made it startlingly clear to her just how much her powers had suffered over the years.

Eyeing the minute pebble lazily she narrowed her eyes and instantly the tiny stone flew up into the air at her command. With very little concentration she moved the stone around the room, weaving it, turning it and dropping it to within inches of the ground before making it stop dead in its tracks.

Of course, moving a person, or a rock or anything of any true mass would take far more concentration than what she was using on the pebble but the fact remained that her mind was sharper than it had been in years.

She was ready to escape; all she needed was for them to need to use her again.

The opportunity came in the middle of the night in mid August.

Alina had been sleeping, dreaming of standing hand in hand with Sirius whilst two haunting grey eyes stared at them, when she had been awoken by the sound of approaching footsteps.

She jerked awake and her heart began to thump wildly as the door unlocked.

_Calm down_ she told herself _I cannot blow this now._

Taking a deep breath as the door swung open, she slumped her shoulders and forced herself to stare blankly at the wall opposite her.

'Good Evening, Alina' he greeted mockingly.

She didn't reply.

'Are you going to behave yourself today?' he asked condescendingly, and it took everything Alina had to prevent herself from attacking him there and then.

_You need to get out of here._

His low chuckle sent a heat wave of anger through her veins, and her blood began to boil.

_How dare he laugh? _

She hated herself for allowing him the pleasure. Had he laughed when he had killed Polly? Had he stood over her body in the same arrogant way he did to her now?

The rage felt good. She embraced it rather than ignored it; it made her feel powerful. Her fingertips felt riddled with electricity, as if her body were begging her to let itself go, to show them what she was really capable of.

_Not yet _she warned herself.

'Legilimens' he stated, and immediately she felt the effects of his spell pressing against her mind 'Imperio.'

She allowed him a small entrance, she did not want him to become suspicious just yet, and he seemed appeased.

'Stand' he commanded, and with a lump of bile in her throat she complied with his wishes.

'Put this on' he continued, throwing a black hooded robe before her, once again she did as he said.

He flicked his wand and the chains that held her captive fell loose; she was free.

'Come.'

He did not turn to see if she was complying; instead he turned on his heel and swept through the doorway and up the staircase.

Stomach riddled with nerves and with her heart threatening to break through her rip cage, she followed his lead. For the first time in fourteen years she was consciously leaving her prison and she knew that she would not have this chance again, she needed to ensure that she executed her escape perfectly.

He led her up the staircase and they came to what appeared to be a dead end, however with a swish of his wand the bricks in the wall shifted to form a doorway and without a moment's pause he led her through it.

The first thing she became aware of when she stepped into the hallway was the colour.

It danced before her eyes and she drank it all in hungrily.

Even if it _was _green, anything was better than white, she had to fight the urge to shudder.

Without making it obvious she allowed her eyes to flicker around the room and take in her surroundings.

It was obviously the main hallway to the house; the ceilings were high, held up by articulate marble pillars. A grand staircase took precedence of the room and reminded Alina faintly of her home.

She couldn't help pausing on the family portrait that held central place above the staircase, including three people all with white blonde hair.

She instantly recognized the man before her as one member; Lucius Malfoy, with his nose upturned and arrogance oozing out of the frame, and she assumed the woman and the child were his wife and son.

_The monster shouldn't be allowed to breed _

_So this had been where she _had_ been kept, where she had been moved to from the De'Valles; the Malfoy Manor._

Struggling to keep her composure at the thought, she tore her eyes away from the picture and forced herself to stare blankly ahead of her.

She needed to stay focused.

They waited for a few more minutes in the hallway, for what exactly she was unsure, until a grandfather clock that stood just before her slid aside and two figures stepped out from behind it.

One was instantly recognizable as Mrs Malfoy from the portrait she had just studied, and the other was concealed by a hood; one that was identical to her own.

'What took you so long?' Lucius snapped, his eyes flashing.

'She resisted' Mrs Malfoy replied quietly, looking nervously at the figure beside her 'she's doing more so with each time'

'Well I had no problem so I do not see why you should have' Lucius retorted coldly 'now we must leave, we cannot keep the Dark Lord waiting.'

_The Dark Lord_...

The words sent a chill down her spine and she felt her breath shorten. They were taking them to Voldemort.

For a second she considered making her move out of the sheer panic that flooded through her, but her sense told her that the house would have every device possible to prevent her from escaping.

Her gaze flickered over to the other cloaked figure beside her; who were they?

Another prisoner like herself?

But her thoughts were cut short as Lucius' cold hand suddenly clasped her wrist.

'Are you ready?' he asked his wife.

With a quick nod in reply, Alina felt herself being sucked up by the sensation of sidelong apparition.

When they landed, she felt sick and light headed, a side effect of not having travelled that way in fourteen, and it took a moment for her to take in her surroundings.

They were outside and it was dark, it was not, however, cold at all, which signalled a warm summer evening.

She did not pause to appreciate the sensation of the night air on her skin, the way it caressed her lungs like a long-lost-lover, for the foreboding manor house that stood before her made her chest painfully tight and her knees weak.

Looking at the house from innocent bystander's eyes, it would look nothing less than picturesque with the roses that framed the walls and the old fashioned beamed windows. But Alina was not an innocent bystander, she could sense the horror that was closed in behind the cheery red door, she knew without a doubt that if Voldemort saw her he would not for a second be fooled that she was under a spell, and once he knew that she would be killed.

She had to act now.

It didn't take even a second for her to succumb to the rage that had built within her for so many years, her fingertips crackled with unreleased power and her eyes were almost blinded by the electric vibes of her strength. She concentrated on the man beside her, who still had a firm grasp on her hand and she lashed out her free arm, her palm outstretched, heaving him from the ground and sending him flying several feet backwards with a startled cry. The harsh crack of his skull connecting with the brick wall that surrounded the property was enough to signify that he had been knocked unconscious.

The woman turned on her in an instant, sending a viscous beam of purple light towards her.

'_Protego' Alina_ screamed in her mind holding her hands out protectively before her and flinched as a blinding pain shot through her skull causing her to stumble to the side.

Spots of white began to blur her vision and she felt her energy falling to a dangerously low level, but before the woman had another chance to attack she threw her arm out with a final swish and sent her stumbling backwards knocking into the cloaked figure beside her.

Completely drained Alina pictured the first place to come into her mind and span on the spot.

Just before she disappeared her eyes caught the cloaked figure whose hood had fallen down.

A flash of blonde hair and shocked grey eyes.

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews and I am so glad that you're all enjoying the story! For those of you who havent reviewed I hope you're enjoying it too!**

**Now for the bad news, I am going away to Thailand for three and a half weeks (Bancock will have me) so I won't be able to update then...I will get another chapter up before I go on Thursday and will update again as soon as i'm back!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please review I really do love reading them xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

As soon as her feet connected with the forest floor, her legs crumbled and she fell to her knees. Her heart was still beating wildly and her breathing was short and rash.

She looked around frantically to insure that nobody had somehow followed her here, but her blurred vision made it very difficult to thoroughly search the area.

Hogwarts had been the first thing she had thought of in such a rush, and as it was impossible to apparate into Hogwarts directly, she could only assume by the towering trees that surrounded her that she was currently somewhere deep in the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

She closed her eyes, trying to figure out whether she would be able to cope with any more apparition, and the sudden wave of nausea that hit her answered her question.

There was no way she was apparating anywhere.

_So what now?_

With no wand, and the weakness of her body, she had very little doubt that she was in an extremely vulnerable state.

_And He's back._

The thought both sickened her and terrified her. It was impossible! He was supposed to have disappeared when Lily and James...

_No, don't think of that now._

Looking up from the ground in desperation she began to panic, she was as likely to be saved from here as she had been in her prison cell. In other words she was screwed.

'Bloody hell' she grumbled, massaging her temples as if trying to persuade her brain to work.

Apparently, the action worked as her eyes lit up with surprise.

'Of course' she whispered to herself, now gazing around the forest in wonder rather than fear 'surely...' her voice trailed off and she closed her eyes once again.

She breathed in deeply, trying to calm her beating heart and steady her nerves.

She was in the Forbidden Forest, a place that had once been her sanctuary so many, many, years ago.

_Sodales, where are you?_

Her mind formed the words, caressing them gently and sending them outwards through the leaves of the tree tops and the surface of the forest ground.

She imagined the Unicorn, she pictured him stumbling towards her minutes after his birth and she remembered the comfort she found in him as he grew older.

She remembered the look of wonder on Regulus' face as he stroked the beautiful creature and the tender moment between herself and Sirius as they shared the experience of his birth.

She knew the moment her call had reached him, she felt a tremble run through her body that was completely different to that of weakness. It was excitement and happiness and for the first time since she had escaped she felt free.

A sound so foreign to her ears that she barely recognised what it was burbled from her throat.

A small giggle, so childlike and ridiculous in the depths of such a dark forest that it made her laugh harder.

Soon she was laughing wildly, her lungs gulping in the fresh summer air, and when she heard the sound of him approaching through the trees she extended her arms towards him in welcome.

Her eyes widened with amazement as he came into view, his shining silver coat the epitome of magic, standing far taller than she remembered he took on a regal beauty.

'Sodales' she breathed, as he trotted over to her and bent down to place his nose in her embrace.

His coat was so soft her fingers lavished the luxery of its sensation against her palms.

He whinnied quietly, a sad edge to the tone and she completely understood what he wished to say.

_Where have you been? I've missed you._

'I've missed you too' she whispered, surprised at the emotions that choked in her throat 'I need your help' she told him more firmly.

He withdrew his face from her hold and looked deeply into her eyes, signalling that he would do anything.

She smiled softly at him 'Take me to the gates?' she whispered tiredly.

Immediately he knelt before her and she forced her exhausted frame to scramble onto his back, resting her head on his silky mane, and allowed him to carry her to safety.

Briefly she acknowledged how amazing it was that after all these years her bond with the creature had never wavered.

She had dozed off on the journey back, and was alerted of their arrival by a snort from Sodales, grimacing she lifted her head from his mane and lowered herself onto the ground.

The pain in her head was worsening and she had to fight with her bodies urge to lie down on the ground and sleep for eternity.

She had one more thing to do before she could rest, and letting out a tiny whimper of pain she forced her mind to focus once more.

This would take more effort, she did not have the same connection with Fawkes that she had with Sodales. She reached out for the Unicorn and allowed him to support some of her weight as she pushed her mind forward, extending it out towards the castle.

_Fawkes, bring Dumbledore to the entrance. Please._

She pictured the red Phoenix, she imagined the office she had sat in so many times, and the sparkling blue eyes of the Headmaster.

_Hurry._

She added, as her knees crumbled beneath her and she fell to the ground.

A few minutes later the sound of the gates opening forced her to lift her head, she could just about see the blurred image of a long white beard and she curved her lips into a faint smile.

'Hello Professor' she greeted wearily, her voice sounding strangely distant.

'Alina?'

Alina had never heard surprise in Dumbledore's tone before and she forced her eyes to stay open as she stared back at her old headmaster.

He quickly conjured a stretcher and gently placed her on it.

'I'll see you soon' she whispered quietly to the Unicorn who had become quite distressed as he realised she was to be taken away.

* * *

><p>'Well I never thought I'd be back here again' she spoke lightly, glancing around at the Medical Wing, alerting Dumbledore that she was awake again.<p>

'We thought it more appropriate than St Mungo's, I feel it would be more sensible to keep your return as low key as possible' he replied calmly, his blue eyes studying her thoughtfully

'Poppy wished to put you in a magically induced coma, she believes that you could use the rest.'

'But you don't agree?'

'Oh I agree completely' he told her lightly ' but it seems there are other factors that must be taken into account, for instance the matter of where you have returned from and if you are in any immediate danger –'

Alina sat up bolt right as the nights events flooded back to her and she widened her eyes in alarm.

'He's back! Voldemort! Voldemort's returned!' she rushed out fearfully.

Instead of the horrified reaction she had expected, Dumbledore merely smiled sadly and nodded in response.

'Yes, I am aware of the fact...however it seems the rest of the Wizarding World is intent on as Muggles say 'burying their heads in the sand''

'So...so nothing's being done?' Alina frowned.

'Now I did not say that, the Ministry are making it frightfully difficult, but things are being done' he spoke seriously 'however, now is not the time to discuss this, nor is it the time for you to enlighten me on your own tale, we must get you to Headquaters.'

'Headquaters?' she questioned 'you mean...'

Dumbledore nodded.

'Not the same premise as last time, but it is used to the same effect, yes' he told her 'now, do you feel well enough to travel by apparition?'

'Of course I do!' she jumped up from the bed, and attempted to ignore the wave of dizziness that hit her, upon seeing the look she received from the man before her however she shrugged.

'Maybe side-long?' he suggested casually and she nodded sheepishly.

'Now Alina, we are going to 12 Grimmauld Place, please keep the address firmly at the front of your mind' he told her as her reached out and firmly grasped her arm.

It took a lot of will power not to flinch away from his touch, remembering the last person who had held her wrist, and instead she nodded sharply.

She felt the familiar sickening lurch and after a second of claustrophobic hell, she felt her feet firmly land on the ground.

She clenched to Dumbledore's wrist for a moment to steady herself before relaxing and gazing around her surroundings.

A strong smell of damp invaded her nostrils and she grimaced as the smell reminded her of her first cell back in the De'Valle mansion. They were in a long hallway, lit by gas-lamps, the wallpaper was peeling away from the walls and a dusty chandelier that hung above them was shaped as a serpent.

The sight made her shudder.

A sudden thought entered her mind.

'Albus –'she started, but was cut off as Dumbledore placed a finger to his lips.

'You must speak quietly in here Alina' he told her softly.

'It's about – It's about S-Sirius' she whispered, her voice catching at his name 'it – it wasn't him...he didn't...'

'I know Alina, all of us here, we know' he replied, and she let out a sigh of relief.

'Does anyone else know I'm back?' she asked nervously, biting her dry lips.

'Not yet' he replied 'which is why I must ask you to remain out here whilst I inform them all, it would be easier for all concerned to have...a warning' he continued.

Her throat suddenly painfully dry Alina nodded silently, her stomach clenched with a mixture of fear and nerves.

Too scared to ask who 'all concerned' included, she wrung her hands together tightly and clenched her teeth.

'I shall be back in a moment Alina' he told her gently, clearly noting her discomfort and once again she nodded.

He paused for a second and stared deeply at her, before turning and disappearing behind a door at the end of the hallway.

Leaving her alone.

* * *

><p>Harry Potter had grown bored of the bickering between Ron and Hermione and had decided to seek out Sirius, he knew there was a meeting taking place but as they normally were finished by now he assumed it would be over soon.<p>

He quietly made his way down the staircase, not quite fancying disturbing the currently silent Mrs Black, but paused in his tracks as his eyes caught an unfamiliar person standing at the end of the hallway.

He stayed perfectly still and stared at the woman; she had not noticed him.

Her long blonde hair was matted and knotted, with what appeared to be leaves caught up in it, she was wearing a set of Hogwarts robes, despite the fact that she was clearly far too old to attend Hogwarts, which seemed to hang off of her skinny frame.

He took a step closer, and flinched at the creak that emitted from the wooden staircase alerting her to his presence.

She jumped violently and spun around to stare at him, her startlingly blue eyes narrowed and body tense with preparation for a fight.

Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he got a full look at her face; she was beautiful.

Her cheek bones were far too prominent, and she had dark bags that framed her haunted eyes, but despite it all her beauty was still clear.

_What had happened to this woman?_

Her narrowed eyes suddenly widened, and she stumbled backwards, her arms reaching out for anything to support herself.

Immediately Harry ran down the remaining steps towards her in an attempt to help, but she threw her arms outwards warning him to keep away.

'NO!' she shouted 'Y-You c-can't be! You're dead! You died!' she shouted, her breathing growing hysterical and tears forming in her terrified eyes.

'FILTHY MUDBLOODS, VERMIN IN THE NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK! DAUGHTER OF A MUGGLE AND TEMPTRESS OF MEN!-'

Harry barely heard the words of Mrs Black, instead he froze in utter shock as he realised what had frightened the woman so badly.

'No you don't understand, I'm not –'Harry began, but the crashing of the door at the end of the hallway interrupted his words.

'ALLI? ALLI?'

The sound of Sirius' yells cut Harry off and he turned to see his Godfather struggling to escape from the grip of Remus.

'Sirius...PADFOOT! Calm down, you'll scare her!' Remus was attempting to shout into his friends' ear but it clearly wasn't working. With an animalistic growl ripping from his chest, Sirius threw Remus off of him and ran past the other members of the Order, none of whom seemed brave enough to try and stop him, before coming to a stop beside Harry.

Sirius didn't even acknowledge Harry's presence, he merely stared speechlessly at the woman in the corner of the hall way, his breath suddenly hitched and his eyes wide and filled with an emotion that Harry couldn't quite place.

'Alli -?' he breathed, his voice soft, as if he barely dared to utter the name.

'Sirius, J-James!' she gasped, her thin arm pointing shakily at Harry.

Before Harry even saw it was going to happen, Sirius darted forward and caught the woman in his arms, gently stroking her hair out of her eyes and looking down at her in distress.

'Take her to the bedroom Sirius, she's exhausted.'

Sirius nodded at the instruction, still staring down at the woman in his arms as if it were impossible to tear his eyes away from her face.

As he reached the bottom of the staircase, he paused but did not turn around.

'I told you she was still alive. I knew it.'

**A/M: Okay so I know this isn't the best for chapters, but I have to leave for the airport this afternoon and have yet to pack coz i've been too busy writing this - woops! But I hope it was okay for you!**

**Thank you for all your reviews so far, and I really would appreciate it sooo much if I could come back to lots more!**

**It will make me so much more motivated to update quickly when I get back!**

**Thanks x**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Her surroundings were beautifully familiar; the wide lake, the tall oak trees and the lush green of the grass. Even the smell made a wide smile stretch across her lips. She was sitting in Hogwarts grounds._

'_Well it's about time you woke up' a laughing voice sounded, that was music to her ears._

'_Lil?' she called in confusion, and blinked when the startling combination of red hair and green eyes invaded her vision._

'_Who else would it be?' she shook her head._

'_But you're...you're supposed to be...'_

'_I'm supposed to be what?' Lily interrupted, frowning in confusion._

'_Uh...nothing. Nothing' Alina shook her head._

'_Sometimes I swear you just live to confuse me Alli' she grinned 'now, let's go!'_

_Alina felt herself pull away from Lily's grasp as she tried to pull her to her feet._

'_Where are we going?' she asked suspiciously, noticing the familiar blush of discomfort colouring Lily's pale cheeks; a sure sign that she was avoiding, or already, telling a lie._

'_Just...Just come on!' Lily continued._

_But she didn't want to go anywhere. She was comfortable in the familiar safety of the grounds. She didn't want to be taken anywhere else._

'_No, Lil, please just stay here...please!' she grasped her friends hand desperately, her eyes pleading._

_She saw Lily bite her lip, her face showing how clearly torn she was. After a brief pause she crouched back down in front of Alina, bringing her gaze level to her friend's._

'_Alli' she began, her voice now far more serious 'we both know I can't stay here for much longer'_

'_But why not?' Alina questioned, almost flinching at the clear desperation of her tone._

'_You know why Alli...do you really want me to say it?'_

_Alina shook her head, ignoring the childish urge to cover her ears._

'_Okay' she sighed, climbing slowly to her feet 'where are we going?'_

'_I'm taking you to Sirius' Lily smiled, although her eyes swam with sadness 'come on.'_

_Holding hands, as if they were children, Lily and Alina walked slowly towards the forest._

_Alina grimaced at the sight of the trees, twisted grotesquely into a tangled mass, the vivid darkness that radiated through the cracks and the flash of movement she kept catching out of the corner of her eyes._

'_I don't want to go in there Lil, can't I come with you?' she asked quietly, tightening her grasp on Lily's hand._

'_I know you don't Alli...' Lily spoke sadly 'it doesn't look pretty does it?' she added thoughtfully._

_Alina opened her mouth to plead with her friend again, when a distant shout interrupted her._

'_ALLI?'_

_Both hers and Lily's heads jerked back towards the forest simultaneously._

'_It's time for you to go Alli' Lily told her gently, her voice thick with emotion._

'_No...no I don't want to leave you again Lil' Alina whispered, turning back to her friend._

_Blue eyes met with green eyes, both identical with the anguish they shared._

'_But we get to say goodbye this time Alli' Lily smiled, the tears escaping her eyes._

'_ALLI!'_

_Alina ignored the sound of his voice and pulled Lily into a tight embrace._

'_I love you and I miss you' she whispered hurriedly._

'_I love you too Alli' Lily replied 'now go!'_

'_ALLI?' _

_This time she didn't ignore his cries, instead she pulled away from her best friend, and walked away from her sanctuary and straight into the darkness of the forest._

* * *

><p>'Alli?'<p>

His voice was suddenly softer, and so much closer.

She felt her eyes flutter and cursed herself.

Did she want to open her eyes? Could she face seeing him again?

She had lived and breathed for this moment for so many years and suddenly, with it here right before her, it seemed terrifying.

'Alli, please open your eyes' he sighed.

Something in his tone, so desperate and defeated and so unlike Sirius, forced her to take the plunge and with a deep breath she forced her eyes to open fully.

She became aware of very little apart from the brightness. As the excruciating whiteness of the light seared into her eyes she tried to scream out. She pushed with her lungs and opened her mouth but no sound came out, instead she could hear jagged panting and gasping sounds, as if her voice box no longer had the strength to cry out. She pushed harder, with everything in her, closing her eyes to hide from the light.

She had been tricked.

'Not...white. Not...white' she heard herself cry through her gasps.

'Alina? Alli calm down'

She felt two firm hands grasp her shoulders tightly and sheer terror flooded through her.

It was all a dream.

She was back, once again, in her white prison.

'NO!' she screamed, lashing out with her mind.

The cry of shock and resounding thump coincided with her springing up, her eyes wide open and the world suddenly clear.

She was in a dark room, the walls black rather than white and plastered with posters of...muggle girls?

The confusion was brief, for as a deep groan sounded from the corner, the door burst open and Alina found herself staring at the ends of four wands.

She saw nothing but the wands, she did not even allow her mind to distract her by thoughts, she bent her knees into a defensive stance and prepared for a fight.

She was not going to be locked up again.

'Sit down, just stay calm!' she heard an unfamiliar voice command.

Clearly they didn't understand; she was perfectly calm.

She could hear her attackers mumbling to each other, she didn't understand why they hadn't attacked yet.

She flexed her hands in preparation, keeping her eyes focused on each of the extended wands.

'Stupefy!'

'NO!'

She blocked the red light easily, with the barest ache in her head, but it was the shout of protest that threw her off.

Her glance quickly shot to the source of the sound and her eyes widened with shock at the sight of Sirius grimacing in pain as he attempted to climb to his feet.

'Don't stun her...don't' he growled.

'S-Sirius?' she stuttered.

And then the previous night came flooding back.

She remembered the forest, Sodales, Dumbledore. She remembered being brought to the new Headquaters, to seeing Sirius and...James?

With fresh eyes, she turned back to her attackers and was surprised to recognise one of them.

'Mad-Eye?' she squinted.

'Alina' he nodded curtly, both his normal and magical eye scrutinizing her.

'You know it's not polite to greet someone by trying to stun them' she told him with a forced casualness, her stance remaining tense.

'Well it's not wise to trust someone who has just sent one of our side flying across the room' he retorted back.

Flying across the room? One of their side?

Once again her eyes flickered over to Sirius and she realised it had been him she had attacked.

Finally, she forced her body to relax and herself to sit back down on the bed, her eyes trained on them warily.

'Now, Alina –'Moody began, the sound of his wooden leg echoing around the room as he started to approach her.

'You are not interrogating her now, Mad-eye' Sirius interrupted, moving across the room so that he stood in front of her.

'Sirius, she could be one of them by now –'

'Dumbledore has already spoken with her Mad-Eye, and I doubt he'd allow her passage if he wasn't certain it was safe, do you?' a calm voice sounded from the hallway, and Alina's head jerked up in response.

'Remus?' she called, her voice suddenly thick, and her head starting to spin with all of the emotions running through her.

'Hello Alli' she heard him reply.

'Get out, now! She doesn't need all of you crowding her!' Sirius spoke loudly, walking towards them and forcing them to leave the room 'and Fred and George if you want to keep that extendable ear I recommend you remove it now before I snap it!'

SLAM.

The door had swung shut, and the silence became deafening.

Her stomach filled with knots, and her heart was almost painful in its thumping movements, she glanced up at Sirius, whose back was still to her and his hand still grasping the door knob. Tightly.

'I'm sorry...for...erm...throwing you...' she mumbled lamely.

Slowly he turned to face her, his face filled with an emotion that took her breath away, before he grinned lightly.

'It's not like you haven't done worse to me before.' He told her 'how are you feeling?' he added quickly.

'Fine!' she replied quickly, and then shrugged at his look of disbelief 'i've been worse'

He nodded in response and the silence once again ensued.

'Do you –'

'Last night –'

They both spoke in unison, and laughed awkwardly.

'You first –'

'You first –'

They began again, and Alina shook her head.

'Weird' she muttered.

'You go first' Sirius grinned gently, and Alina averted her gaze from his grey eyes as her stomach gave a flip.

His face was gaunt, his hair no longer held the same shine it once did, and his eyes held ghosts that she doubted he would ever lose, but he was Sirius. And her heart still recognised that.

'Last night...I – well –'

She didn't want to say the words, that she had seen James, because she was scared what they meant.

Was he truly alive? Had the Death Eater's been tricked and the events of Halloween never actually happened?

'It wasn't James, Alli' Sirius spoke softly, she did not miss the longing in his voice.

'But –'

'-It was Harry.'

_Harry. She had seen Harry._

'Harry' she whispered 'he looks so much...so much like...'

'I know' Sirius smiled 'but you didn't see his eyes Alli...they're so green, so much like –'

'Don't' she whispered, closing her eyes.

She felt the touch of his rough hands enclose her own and gently squeeze.

'You know what happened?'

She nodded sharply, not trusting her voice.

'You know it was Peter?'

'Of course I know it was _him_! Why do you think he got them to take me?' she snapped, her eyes flying open and her breathing heavy.

'Sorry' she added quickly, feeling immediately bad 'I didn't mean to snap...'

'It's fine' he responded quickly 'and Alli...i'm so sorry. So, so sorry I didn't get there in time to stop them –' he began, his voice cracking as he spoke and his eyes filled with regret.

'Sirius, don't' she interrupted, locking her eyes with his 'you couldn't have stopped them.'

Silence filled the room again, but this time it didn't seem so awkward, not with her hand entwined with his.

'So...the Order?'

'Yep, not that I have much to do with it, i'm not allowed to leave the premisis what with being a 'wanted man' and everything' he spoke bitterly, and she could sense his frustration.

'And Remus is here...where's Alice?' she asked keenly.

She could see it written in his face the second he faltered in his response. She saw the pity and sadness and she felt her heart sink in her chest.

'When did it happen?' she asked quietly.

'She...her and Frank...after the war Bellatrix wanted to find out what happened to Voldemort, she believed they might have known.' His eyes carefully studied her expression as if searching for any sign of a breakdown, she forced her face to remain painfully blank.

'Her and her husband, they tortured Alice and Frank for information...' he paused and sighed, running his hands over his face.

'So they killed them?' the words felt like venom to her lips.

'No...not exactly no' he hesitated 'they were tortured into insanity'

He said the last part quickly, as if hearing it fast would lessen the pain; it didn't.

Her stomach lurched and throwing her head to the side of the bed she proceeded to vomit. It was painful, considering her stomach was empty and there was nothing of any substance to sick up, but the pain helped. It countered the grief that ripped at her throat, at her fingers, at every fibre of her body.

When she finished, as she sat shakily on the bed, gasping for breath, she felt his arms wrap round her body, she felt him pull her towards him and onto his lap.

And as she finally allowed the tears to come, she felt something she had only imagined hearing for fourteen years; Sirius' heartbeat.

* * *

><p>'So who <em>do <em>you think she is?' Hermione asked.

They were sitting in the room that Harry and Ron shared, accompanied by Fred, George, Ginny and a pair of extendable ears.

'Well Sirius obviously knows her' Fred replied.

'And she knows Remus because she recognised his voice and she spoke to Mad-Eye' George added.

'Maybe she was in the first Order with them?' Ginny suggested.

'Well that would make sense, if she knew Sirius, Remus _and _Mad-Eye.' Hermione added.

'And she knew Harry's dad! She must have to have gotten them confused...' Ginny responded.

'So she's a nutter then?' Ron asked 'that's gotta be it right? I mean anyone sane would know it couldn't be your dad!'

'Tactful Ron' Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes before continuing 'and no it does not mean she's a 'nutter'. Harry said that she looked in a bad way, didn't you Harry? That could mean something had happened to her...'

'Sorry, what?' Harry jumped, blinking himself back to reality and out of his own thoughts.

'I _said_' Hermione began, rolling her eyes, 'that you said she looked in a bad way?'

'Oh, well yeah she was really thin...and dirty – kind of how Sirius used to be...but she wasn't...well, she didn't look..._bad' _he added lamely, his cheeks growing warm.

'So what you're saying is...' Fred began, a broad grin spreading across his mischievous face.

'- that she's fit!' George concluded triumphantly.

'Oh for goodness sake! No that is not what Harry meant, is it Harry?' Hermione scathed, turning to Harry expectantly.

'I – erm – I'm going to talk to Remus!' Harry jumped up from the bed, making a quick escape from Hermione's disapproving glare.

He made his way out into the hallway and inhaled a deep breath of air. He had felt suffocated in the room and was relieved to be alone to collect his own thoughts.

He was itching to find out exactly _who _that woman had been, especially now that he was certain she had known his father. And the way Sirius had reacted to her, he was positive there was a story there, and he was desperate to know what it was.

Apart from a few of his father and the rest of the 'Marauder's' escapades at school, Harry knew very little about his parent's growing up. He knew almost just as little about Sirius and Remus.

Perhaps this woman would be another key into the past, and would provide him with information that he was thirsty for.

As he passed Sirius' bedroom on the floor below, he paused for a moment to see if he could detect any sound from within. Faintly he could hear the sound of a low murmuring and...quiet sobs? Immediately, he felt embarrassed at his intrusion of their privacy, and moving quietly he continued to the ground floor. Sirius would tell him who she was soon enough...wouldn't he?

* * *

><p>'Are you sure you want to go down for dinner...we could bring it up here for you? And just, well talk...' Sirius asked her, trailing off of his words at the end.<p>

'Sirius' she spoke softly, her tongue revelling at the words on her lips, 'we have a lot to talk about and we have time to do it. But right now, it would be nice to pretend at normalcy'

She saw his look of brief disappointment, and she knew there were so many questions he had for her; which was why she was avoiding staying alone in the room with him.

At some point he would ask her questions, questions that would be too difficult to answer, and would force her to speak the words that would break both of their hearts.

Could he love her? Would he be able to ever look at her again if he knew that she had been unable to protect their child?

She shuddered at the words, and forced the memory from her mind...the screaming, the blood...

'That's fine' he smiled 'but I warn you, the dignified dinner affairs of the previous order are nothing compared to the current one..'

'Dignified?' she snorted 'I seem to recall Moody attempting to kill you after you turned all the meatballs in the spaghetti into an exact copy of his eye –'

Sirius grinned at the memory 'well like I said, this lot are in competition...you haven't met the Weasley twins!'

'Fred and George?' Alina asked eagerly, remembering them as babies.

'Yep' he replied 'most people refer to them as the devil spawn...I prefer the term 'brilliant'' he laughed, pulling her up from the bed so that she was standing before him.

A brief pause left them staring into each other's eyes, both suddenly very aware of the avoidance of important issues, but Alina broke the eye contact and Sirius cleared his throat, and one minute later they were making their way down to the kitchen.

The sound of hustle bustle radiated from the kitchen and the sound sent warmth through Alina's skin. It sounded so homely and friendly; sounds that she hadn't heard in fourteen years.

Suddenly she was bombarded with a wave of nerves, and without thinking she stretched her hand out and clung to Sirius'.

She felt him freeze for a moment in surprise, and in turn she bit her lip at her brashness, but sneaking a glimpse up at him she was greeted with his familiar lopsided grin; a ghost of the cocky school boy she had fallen in love with.

'Don't worry, they don't bite' he told her, smirking.

'I'm not nervous' she replied stubbornly.

'Yeah...right' he replied, in such a familiar condescending tone that she both wanted to kiss him and hit him.

_How is it possible to still feel this way?_

Shrugging off the thought, she stepped forward with far more confidence than she felt, and opened the kitchen door.

At her appearance, the hustle bustle of the kitchen and the friendly chatter all stopped as everyone turned to stare at her.

A deep silence replaced the chatter.

_Shit._

**A/N: Thank you SO much for all your reviews! I couldn't believe the response when I got home I really appreciate it! Your reviews got me so motivated that despite landing yesterday evening I have spent all day today writing this for you all! And I am about to begin the next one now!**

**I concentrated on getting this one out immediately but will respond to all of your reviews as soon as possible!**

**Thank you so much!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Alina was greeted by a mixture of shocked and curious stares; and a hell of a lot of silence.

Her eyes quickly traced the room; three red headed men, a red headed woman and –

'Remus!' she whispered as her eyes fell upon the familiar figure.

He looked older, his face now lined with age and the bags that had always resided under his eyes were now far more sunken into his skin, but the warmth of his smile had not changed at all.

He marched across the room and as if wary of embracing her, he reached out for her hand and squeezed it tightly.

'Alli...' he choked, the emotion thick in his voice.

His eyes flickered from her face to Sirius' and he made a movement between a nod and a shake of the head as if in disbelief.

'You never could be separated easily –' he began, smiling wryly 'are you okay?' he asked her more seriously, his eyes narrowing as if preparing for a lie.

'I –'Alina began, before pausing and taking a deep breath 'I am now' she told him firmly, meeting his gaze steadily.

A shifting movement from the other inhabitants of the room, indicating their discomfort at intruding on what appeared to be a private moment, broke up their conversation.

'We'll talk later' Remus spoke quietly 'all of us.'

Nodding silently, she felt Sirius move so that he was standing directly beside her, his arm brushing against hers as if he knew the physical connection calmed her

'Everyone this is –' Sirius began loudly.

'Alina!' a warm voice called from the centre of the kitchen and Alina looked up to see a beaming red headed woman come bustling towards her.

'Molly?' Alina questioned, taking a few hesitant steps towards the woman.

'It is indeed, oh come here dear!' Molly cried, opening her arms and pulling Alina into a tight embrace.

Unintentionally, Alina felt her entire body stiffen at the shock of such sudden contact and she inwardly cringed as Molly quickly pulled away, clearly sensing her discomfort.

If Molly had been offended then she did not show it, with her smile unwavering she led her to a chair and flicked her wand to boil the kettle.

'I couldn't believe it when they said you had arrived – it's just...well I never thought we'd see the day...'

Although she tried to listen to the woman, Alina's eyes continued to scan the room for familiar faces.

Mad-Eye was there, as was Arthur and a man that Alina could only presume was their eldest son, but it was as her eyes rested on a lone figure in the corner of the room when the whole world seemed to disappear around her.

In her delirium last night she could clearly see why she had confused him with James; he was almost a spitting image of what his father had looked like at that age, her heart flipped with sadness at the sight of the messy black hair.

At some point Molly must have realised that Alina's attention was else wear and her voice trailed off as she followed her line of gaze.

'Oh' she spoke softly 'Alina...this is Harry...'

Harry slowly took a couple of steps towards her, his face a picture of confusion as he warily inspected her. As he grew closer she could see the slight differences between him and his father, he was a skinnier build than James and his eyes were...

She wanted to speak, she even inhaled a breath to do so, but it caught in her throat and all she could do was stare straight into his eyes.

_Her eyes._

She had always believed that nobody in the world could ever have eyes like Lily's. Lily's eyes that shone like emeralds and captivated anyone who looked into them.

But sitting there, looking upon Lily's son, it was as if she were looking at Lily.

And she didn't know whether to laugh or cry; so instead she sat speechless.

'Harry' Sirius spoke gruffly; as he took her trembling hand once again in his own 'This is Alina...your Godmother.'

Alina sat transfixed as she watched Harry's eyes widen with shock, and dart from face to face in the room as if waiting for someone to tell him it was a joke.

'My Godmother?' he croaked, staring directly into her eyes.

She nodded silently, her throat still unable to form words.

Harry's eyes suddenly switched to an emotion that she least expected, one that she had seen reflected in Lily's very few times; burning rage.

He looked back up at Sirius, this time his eyes accusatory, before shaking his head and marching from the room.

Once again leaving everyone in silence.

* * *

><p>Sirius immediately jumped up just as Molly began to move towards the doorway, they paused for a split second to glare at one another, before Sirius quickly brushed past her and ran after Harry.<p>

He followed his Godson, hearing the angry stomping lead into the living room, utterly bemused.

_What could have angered him so much?_

A pang of sadness washed over him and he froze for a moment in shock before recognizing the emotion as Alina's rather than his own. Clearly their connection grew stronger in proximity.

He didn't allow himself time to consider that discovery, for his main concern was Harry, and after briefly pausing at the bottom of the staircase, he shrugged, and apparated directly into the room he knew Harry resided in.

'Harry?' he spoke gently, approaching his Godson who stood with his back to him, glaring out of the window.

'Yes?' Harry replied tightly, not turning around.

'Look at me' Sirius said, his forehead creased in confusion.

Begrudgingly, Harry turned to face him and for a second Sirius almost wished he hadn't. The boys face was contorted into such a confliction of emotions it seemed as if he were in pain; sadness, confusion, anger and disbelief all rolled into one.

For a moment neither one spoke.

'How many more _surprises_ am I going to get?' Harry spoke quietly, through clenched teeth, clearly trying to keep check on his emotions.

The pang of guilt that hit Sirius both surprised him, and as often happened when he was around Harry reminded him of James.

James; one of the few people who could reach Sirius' conscience.

'Harry –'

'No!' Harry snapped, immediately cutting him off.

'I went through ten years of my life not even knowing I was a bloody wizard! Being baby-sat by a woman I only just found out was a squib, thinking my parents died in a _car crash –'_

Sirius visibly flinched at that and for the millionth time he felt angry at himself for not being there for his Godsons upbringing.

'-then I find out the _serial killer _who's supposed to be trying to kill me is actually a Godfather nobody ever _bothered _to tell me anything about, that a teacher who I thought was trying to help me was actually plotting to send me to Voldemort and kill me, that after fighting _Him _and watching a friend die I'm not worthy of contacting...WHILST EVERYONE ELSE IS HOLED UP HERE?' his voice had gradually grown into a shout as years of frustrations had caught up with him, and Sirius felt overcome with a mixture of guilt and anger over the boy's suffering.

He opened his mouth to respond but Harry interrupted him once more, his voice calmer in what sounded like defeat.

'And now...now? I find out I also had a Godmother all this time?' he shook his head and stared at Sirius

'After everything...did nobody think I deserved to know that?'

Sirius remained silent for a moment, knowing that Harry was right; he _did _deserve to have been told.

'Harry –'he began 'you're right...and I'm sorry.'

Harry nodded tightly, not quite making eye contact with him.

'I find it hard to talk about her, Alina, even after all of these years' he spoke quietly, and Harry's head jerked up to look at him with interest 'I can barely stand thinking about her, let alone say her name...she was...Peter he –'

A soft knock on the door interrupted the broken explanation he was struggling to give his Godson, and he looked up to meet Harry's eyes for a second. The green eyes were filled with confusion mixed with interest, the anger and betrayal seemed to have been washed away.

'Sirius?' Alina's hesitant voice broke their eye contact and Sirius moved to open the door and allow her entrance.

She didn't pause as the door opened; instead she brushed past Sirius and moved across the room to stand directly before Harry.

'Hello Harry' she smiled softly, Sirius' trained ear only barely detecting the nerves in her voice.

'Hello' Harry replied, his eyes apparently transfixed on Alina 'I'm sorry, but who _are _you?'

Alina smiled sadly at Harry and Sirius could sense her regret at not having been part of Harry's life for so long.

'Fifteen years ago I would have laughed if somebody told me you wouldn't know who I was...' she shook her head and swallowed a lump in her throat.

'My name is Alina Blake, I'm your Godmother' she told him 'and your mum is my best friend'

Neither Harry nor Sirius missed the present tense in which she spoke and the hairs on Sirius' arms stood on end with a feeling he could not quite place.

'Or _was'_ Alina mumbled, seeming to notice their reactions.

'I- I don't understand' Harry muttered 'why has no one told me about you?'

A dark look flashed in Alina's eyes, a flicker of anger at Harry's words, but it quickly disappeared and Alina just gazed sadly back at her Godson.

'I don't know, Harry' she answered 'I really don't know.'

'Where have you been all this time then?'

Alina closed her eyes at the question she had known was inevitable and paused for a second as if collecting her thoughts to decide how to respond.

Sirius watched her in silence, wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms around her and clear her head of the memories she was obviously fighting to rid herself of.

'Fourteen years ago, Death Eater's took me' she spoke quietly, her voice however, was hard as steel 'and they decided it was against their interest to ever give me back.'

'They – they kept you for all these years?' Harry asked incredulously, before clamping his mouth shut as he realised he may have come across as rude.

A brief hint of a smirk traced Alina's lips, and there was a slight twinkle in her eyes at the same time. Sirius fought a chuckle as he knew that Alina found Harry's lack of tact a reminder of his father before him.

'They had their purposes for me' she answered bitterly, her eyes clouding over slightly and her tone ending any further questioning.

There was a moment of quiet as Alina drunk Harry's face in hungrily. She knew he had many questions to ask her, ones that she would have to answer, but for now she just wanted to enjoy the moment.

Before she knew what she was doing, she had taken a step towards him, and hesitantly had raised her hand, reaching towards him.

She waited for him to flinch away, so when he didn't, with a sigh of relief, she gently brushed her hand through his hair and cupped his cheek tenderly.

'I haven't seen you since you were just a baby' she spoke in a whisper, frightened that emotion would take control otherwise.

As she gazed at him lovingly, a small voice at the back of her mind couldn't help reminding her, taunting her and torturing her all at once.

_She _would be coming up to Harry's age now. Her little girl.

_Our little girl._

Alina had to physically fight the nausea that hit her stomach as she thought of what Sirius would say if he knew...

'You were friends with my mum?' Harry asked her, trying to disguise the keenness in his voice and causing her to break away from her thoughts.

'Yes' Alina grinned, her eyes lighting up for a moment 'she was like a sister to me...'

'I've never met anyone who was friends with my mum' Harry replied eagerly, looking at her with deep curiosity.

'Well –'Alina began, and glanced at Sirius who had proceeded to interrupt her.

'Well, we can talk about everything properly tonight' he spoke firmly.

'Alli's been through a lot, she shouldn't really be out of bed' he threw a disapproving look at her as he spoke 'so she needs to get some food, and not stress herself out...'

'Who knew Sirius Black would have turned into such a bore' Alina muttered, causing Harry to grin and Sirius to glare at her, but didn't argue and turned to leave the room.

* * *

><p>'-So this <em>idiot<em> pours the whole potion on the floor and the whole room explodes in giant bubbles –'Alina grinned, indicating at Sirius as she spoke.

Harry, Ron and the twins erupted with laughter, and Hermione smiled humorously as they listened to Alina, Sirius and Remus reminisce on old times.

'Ah but did it work?' Sirius asked smirking, eyebrows raised.

'Well...yes' Alina replied grudgingly, shrugging.

'So _that's _what happened in the 'famous' detention' Remus chuckled, shaking his head.

'The famous detention?' Harry asked, and Alina and Sirius both turned to their friend frowning in confusion.

'Well they went in as mortal enemies' Remus smirked 'and came back soaking wet, and in somewhat of a friendship...'

'Slughorn said he'd never seen the Dungeons looking cleaner' Alina grinned proudly.

'They probably haven't been cleaned since' Fred laughed, and everyone made noises of agreement.

Dinner at the Order was often a busy event, but this evening it seemed to be even livelier than usual. With Sirius in high spirits the conversation was loud and boisterous and everyone seemed to be revelling in the all round good mood.

Eating the food, a lamb roast with giant fluffy potatoes, had been like heaven to Alina. Who had lived on nothing but scraps of stale food for the past fourteen years. It had taken all of the restraint that she possessed to stop herself from shovelling it down her throat as quickly as she could. Instead she ate small spoonfuls, at a fast pace, and found that before she had even made a dent into the heaped plate, she was painfully full up.

'I can't eat another bite' she sighed in contentment.

'You've barely touched a thing' Remus remarked 'a far cry from the way you ate at school...'

'Careful Moony, I seem to remember her blowing a fuse at you last time you mentioned that she ate like a pig –'

Alina elbowed him in the ribs and laughed.

A real, honest, carefree laugh.

And it felt wonderful.

Over the noise of the dinner party, the sound of someone apparating into the hallway could be heard, and the resounding footsteps approaching the dining room.

In her moment of joy, Alina paid little attention as her eyes flickered upwards at the figure who entered through the big oak door at the far end of the room.

The brief glance was immediately followed by a glare of horror and she sprung from her seat in alarm.

Remus was quickly by her side, his hand placed warningly on her forearm and a hurried explanation pouring from his lips.

She barely heard his words, she could catch the drift of it; do not attack.

But how could she not? How could _he _be here?

With a strength she didn't know she possessed, she managed to contain the unadulterated rage that reared inside her, the venom that enflamed her very core and her words were so thick with disgust she barely managed to spit them out.

'What the _fuck _is _he _doing here?'

**A/N: So can anyone guess whose arrived haha? I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thank you for all of your reviews I appreciate them so much! Please keep them coming because that makes me more keen to keep the chapters coming!**

**Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

'So it is true, you are back' Severus Snape drawled in a bored tone, only his eyes hinting at surprise.

Alina let out an animalistic growl and struggled against Remus' hold, desperate to get to the man before her.

Despite the clear signs of age that lined his skin, he had changed very little since the last time Alina had seen him.

In that room, her first prison, suffering his endless, excruciating torture...

'Remus. Let. Go. Of. Me' she choked out, ceasing her struggle against him yet remaining tense.

Whilst a large part of her emotions were directed entirely towards the monster that had entered the room, a small fraction of the anger was for herself.

For the fear that slithered its fingers through her veins, trailing over her heart and down her spine. For the way her mind immediately pushed it's shields up in preparation for another bout of torture and mostly for the way her knees trembled beneath her as she looked into his jet black eyes.

A loud smash caused everyone to jump in alarm, but Alina remained perfectly still as a lamp exploded on the wall behind her.

She was angry that after all these years, her fractured soul still recognised what he had done to her, and what he had caused.

'How ironic' for a second Snape looked nervous, before smirking 'for Lupin to be holding back someone behaving like a monster...'

Dully her mind recognised the sounds of scraping chairs as people jumped to their feet in outrage, but Alina's immediate realisation was that Remus had dropped his hold on her, and she took the opportunity to quickly lessen the distance between herself and Snape.

Of course, she was met by his wand being pointed directly at her face. And despite the familiar sensation of her heart thumping in her chest, she kept her expression stoic and stood tall before him.

'Doesn't feel normal until you're pointing a wand at me is that it Snivillus?' she hissed out, speaking quickly in the heat of the moment.

'Stop this now! This is ridiculous-'Molly cried, but Alina ignored her, smiling tauntingly at Snape.

'We both know that I don't need a wand to beat you so you may as well put it away' she told him quietly, each word oozing with venom.

'Severus, put your wand down! And Alina do take a seat, this is not appropriate in front of the children!'

Molly's voice had taken a far more severe tone, and it proved commanding enough for Snape to lower his wand and Alina begrudgingly take a few steps away from him.

'Phew, the air is much cleaner over here!' she sighed loudly 'the stench of grease isn't as strong'

A low chuckle from Sirius and what sounded like the twins followed this remark, and Alina glanced over to see Ron and Harry biting their lips.

'Clearly you are as socially inappropriate now as you were at Hogwarts' Snape replied scathingly, making to leave the room.

'Was there any particular point in you being here? Or was it so you can go back and tell Voldemort that I'm here?' Alina called after him, before he could leave.

'Alina, Severus places himself at great personal risk to spy for the Order and it is only fair that you accept him –'Arthur began, but Alina silenced him with a look of disgust.

'Only fair? Only _fair?_' she spat 'After fourteen years of...after being...he hasn't done _anything_ to deserve trust –'Alina stuttered in disbelief.

How could they be so completely idiotic? How could a man who had harmed so many, who had killed so many, be so readily accepted into such an elite organisation?

'Dumbledore accepts that I am working for the Order, it is no concern of mine whether anybody _accepts _me' Snape stated coolly, staring coldly at Alina before turning on his heel and sweeping from the room.

'Well' Alina broke the silence 'if you're letting Death Eater's in the Order, this organisation has seriously gone downhill.'

* * *

><p>After a tense hour of attempted explanations being given to Alina, she had eventually retired to the living room with Sirius, Remus and Harry and his friends.<p>

The burning wrath she had experienced had sizzled into irritation and frustration.

_Idiots _she thought scathingly.

'Checkmate!' Ron's victorious voice broke her from her thoughts and she couldn't fight the grin at the sight of Sirius' shocked expression.

'H-How? B-But –'

'Clearly you've lost your touch over the years Sirius' she smirked, flipping her legs so that they were hanging over the arm of the armchair.

'I have not lost my touch!' Sirius replied looking affronted 'he just got lucky!'

'Lucky!' Ron laughed 'As if!'

'I'll give you a game Ron' Remus smiled, moving to sit opposite the boy.

'Ah, now Remus will be a better opponent for you Ron!' Alina told him, ignoring the look of disbelief that Sirius was shooting at her.

'What do you mean Remus is a better opponent!' Sirius scoffed 'I used to always win at school!'

'Yeah coz you played against Pete-'Alina began to respond, grinning, before she realised who she was referring too and her smile immediately dropped into a scowl.

'So...erm...you were my mum's friend?' Harry broke the silence that had ensued, and Alina turned to face him, smiling as she realised he had obviously been waiting all night to speak to her about it.

'Yep, she was just like a sister to me' she smiled 'there were four of us, me, your mum, Polly and Alice' her smile dropped at the mention of Alice and she bit her lip.

'I'm the only one left now' she added quietly.

Harry gazed at her with Lily's eyes, sympathy radiating from them and she found herself smiling warmly back at him.

'You really do look just like your mother'

'My mum?' Harry frowned 'Everyone thinks I look like my dad'

'Oh you do! You look so much like your father its strange' she replied 'but your eyes...and your expressions – there!' she pointed at his face grinning 'now _that _is your mother!'

'What was she like?' he asked and Alina sighed sadly.

'I wish you didn't have to ask me that, Harry' her heart sunk to her stomach as she gazed at her Godson 'It's cruel that you never knew her...she was such an amazing person.' She smiled.

'She was clever – a bit of a know-it-all at times if you ask me' she laughed softly 'but she was fun, and lively and –' she broke off as a cloud of emotion came over her.

'She was one of those people who just lit up the room' she stated plainly 'she was kind, and beautiful inside and out. Your dad was mad about her'

'Mad?' Sirius interrupted 'understatement of the century, I think obsessed is a more fitting description' he shook his head.

Alina laughed 'Do you remember when he was yelling at the Quidditch team –'

'- and thought there were first years giggling in the stands?' Sirius questioned, a broad grin lighting up his face.

'-So he turned around to yell at them!' she laughed harder.

'-I remember that!' Remus sounded from across the room 'and it was all you girls?'

'-James' face when he realised he'd just shouted at Evans – priceless!' Sirius wiped his eyes, chuckling.

Alina exchanged a brief glance with Sirius and her heart gave a flip. For it told her that he also remembered what happened after that; they had nearly kissed for the first time.

Hermione was sat in the corner of the room, and had put her book down for a moment to watch the scene unfold before her, she smiled as she watched the three adults conversing animatedly, but as her eyes fell on Harry a warmth filled her heart and her eyes became moist.

She dabbed gently at the corner of her eyes and her smile widened as she watched how his face lit up, drinking in the words of those around him as they spoke of his parents. His eyes shining with happiness at being surrounded by people who knew and loved his parents and in turn loved him too.

She was watching Harry with his family.

'Neville!' Alina suddenly burst out, causing the others to stare at her strangely.

'Sorry?' Harry asked bemused.

'Neville! Alice's boy!' she clarified, turning to Sirius and Remus 'please tell me Neville's –'

'Neville is fine' Remus told her quickly, seeing the panic in her expression 'he lives with his Gran and goes to Hogwarts with Harry, Ron and Hermione'

'Thank goodness' Alina sighed, feeling relief wash over her.

'Neville Longbottom?' Hermione asked from her corner and blushed as everyone turned to her.

'Yes' Alina replied kindly 'his mum...she was one of my best friends – I didn't realise she...' her voice trailed off and she stared into space for a moment.

'Anyway, I was just wondering how Neville was' she suddenly concluded.

'Now, Sirius tells me that you play Quidditch?' she turned back to Harry grinning broadly.

* * *

><p>That night, Sirius led Alina up to the room she had stayed in the night before, and due to the inscription on the doorway she realised it had been his own.<p>

'There's a spare nightdress of Hermione's on the bed' he told her quietly as he led her into the room and as he spoke he turned to look at her appraisingly.

'We really are going to have to fatten you up' he stated plainly, and she suddenly felt uncomfortable under his gaze.

She hadn't given much consideration to her appearance, not with so much else going on around her, but now, standing before Sirius alone she realised how awful she must look.

'Yeah, well, they weren't too generous with the food portions, those Death Eater's' she joked, but Sirius caught the bitter edge to her tone.

He turned away as she got changed, and then went to sit beside her on the bed.

'I know the feeling, the food was hardly gourmet in Azkaban, and Dementors are a nightmare for ruining your appetite.'

'Yeah, I was gunna say you looked a bit weedy' she smirked, causing him to chuckle softly.

'It's good to have you back Alina' he spoke so quietly she barely heard him, but nevertheless she felt her heartbeat quicken.

She felt him shift beside her, and she looked up in alarm as he stood up and made his way towards the door.

'If you need anything, I'll just be staying in the room next door –'

She started to panic as he said his goodnight. He was going to leave her; alone. The thought of being left to her own company once more sent waves of terror through her body and she felt her breathing quicken as the nerves bombarded her.

'Don't go!' she managed to choke out, staring up at him, her eyes slightly wild with desperation.

'Alli?' he questioned softly.

'Not alone...don't leave me on my own' she pleaded, hating with every syllable how desperate she sounded.

He stared at her for a moment, his eyes reflecting a whirlwind of emotions, before replying.

'Okay' he said simply, and crossed the room to climb into bed beside her.

They lay in silence for a while, staring up at the ceiling with their shoulders just about touching.

'I never thought I'd see you again' Sirius suddenly spoke, his voice gruff 'and then you just appeared...where – where were you?' he spoke the last three words as a whisper, as if sharing a secret with her.

Alina closed her eyes; she had known the questions would come.

'I was at the De'Valle's place at first...but then they moved me to the Malfoy Manor –'

'The Malfoy Manor!' Sirius exclaimed in outrage 'we've had that place searched over and over!'

'Clearly not in the right places' Alina mumbled.

'What...what did they do to you?' Sirius asked through clenched teeth as if he didn't truly want to know the answer.

'What do you think they did to me Sirius?' Alina asked, turning her body so that she was facing him.

Gently, Sirius reached out his hand and stroked her face, gazing deeply into her eyes.

'Don't do that with me Alli...that's not an answer to my question'

Alina gulped, and looked down to escape the intensity of his gaze. It was true, she was avoiding telling him what happened, because saying the words allowed, watching his reaction, and it would mean reliving the whole thing in her mind.

'I'm not-'she began, but Sirius quickly interrupted her.

'I knew everything about you once' he reminded her '_everything._ And it helped you'

'What do you want me to say Sirius?' she snapped 'do you want to hear how they tortured me? How they used the Cruciatus on me over, and over, and over again? That they weren't above using muggle torture? How they cut me with knives and broke my bones and made me _beg _them for mercy?'

Sirius' face had instantly paled, and his jaw locked tensely as if he were clenching his teeth tightly.

He looked horrified.

'I just want to hear the truth Alli' he finally whispered.

Alina sighed, and leant her face into his touch.

'It wasn't nice, Sirius' she told him quietly 'it really wasn't nice'

He shifted slightly, and moved his arm so it was embracing her as he stroked her hair softly.

'Alli' he began after a while, his tone cautious but his eyes pleading.

'Yes?' she replied hesitantly. It was strange, how she knew what he was going to ask before he uttered the words, how her body filled with dread and her forehead broke out with beads of sweat.

'Alli...what happened to the baby?' his words were thick with emotion and he closed his eyes tightly as if trying to blind himself from his feelings.

She paused before replying.

'How did you find out about the baby?' she asked, her mouth suddenly bone dry.

'Lily' he replied testily, opening his eyes to show the desperation 'so there _was _a baby?'

'There _was'_

Her response was so quiet that he barely heard her words, but the sadness, the utter brokenness in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

He saw her eyes cloud over, as she let herself grow numb to the memories that were clearly trying to plague her mind.

Biting his lip so tightly he was positive that he had drawn blood, fighting with the urge to sob hysterically, her pulled her close to him and cradled her in his arms.

His Alina.

* * *

><p><strong>That night she dreamed.<strong>

**She dreamed of blinding whiteness, with the spine-chilling crimson of blood.**

**So much blood...**

_**Too **_**much blood.**

**The cacophony of screaming consumed the room, echoing from corner to corner until she felt as if the sound was locked in her mind, trying to escape the confines of her brain.**

**The sounds of bodies thumping against the wall, the crack of their skulls connecting with the concrete and their cries of pain and fear.**

**She could hear her voice attempting to form words through her screaming, the sound so broken, so distraught that it seemed incomprehensive that she could be making it; that any human could form such a noise.**

'**GIVE- HER – BACK – TO – ME!'**

**She could barely breathe as her chest was crushed under the pressure of magical bindings and chains as they attempted to confine her to the floor, to prevent her from moving; from fighting.**

**The rage consumed her; it reared its head within her and spread its claws through every atom in her body. **

**She embraced it, with such burning ferocity; with such open passion that she could barely comprehend what it commanded her to do.**

**She was the Rage.**

**She lashed out, the spite and frenzied fury exuding from her mind; the strength, the power of her attacks certain to seriously harm and even kill anyone who crossed their paths.**

**The beautiful, terrified cries of her baby ringing through her ears amongst it all.**

**Calling out for her.**

**Begging for her to save her...**

'**Alina!' Sirius shouting her name 'Alina?'**

**A heartbreaking flash of green light.**

**No. No. No.**

**Silence.**

**A flash of green light and silence.**

**No more crying.**

'**ALINA!'**

**A stranger's face.**

**A familiar stranger's face.**

**A face her heart recognised; her soul knew.**

**That blonde hair and those grey eyes.**

'ALLI!'

She jerked awake, her eyes opening to see his concerned grey ones.

Grey eyes that she had only just that second seen...

'I'm so sorry' she sobbed 'I'm so, so, sorry'

As Sirius cradled her broken form in his arms, terror clenched his heart.

What had happened to her?

What was it that she didn't want to tell him?

And why was she sorry?

None of that mattered for that moment, all that mattered was that she was in his arms; that she was alive.

As he wiped her sweaty hair out of her face he firmly pressed his lips to her head.

As long as they were together, he knew that they would be okay.

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! I've been attempting to try and make my update day on a Saturday, but because of how much your response has excited me I keep failing to do that and updating earlier! So here it is, two days too early haha!**

**I hope you enjoy this Chapter, and unsurprisingly all of you guessed who it was! There will be more Snape action in time though!**

**There will also be a lot more Eve/Draco coming too, I haven't forgotten about her!**

**Please keep reviewing, they really do motivate me!**

**Thank you xxxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

Eve scrubbed her hands roughly with a coarse rag, her breathing heavy and her vision slightly blurred as the tears formed in her eyes.

A tiny hysterical squeak emitted from her lips, and she quickly caught it in her throat – preventing any more noise escaping.

Holding out her shaking hands, she inspected them carefully, although now a bright pink from the excessive scrubbing, there was no longer any sign of that sickening red colour...

She tried not to flinch as she looked at the now crimson red cloth in front of her and shuddered as a flash of a huddled figure, homeless on the streets, appeared in her mind.

The sound of screaming. Someone pleading for mercy...

'Stop it' she told herself firmly, pursing her lips and closing her eyes tightly in attempt to block out the memories.

It was happening more and more, the memories, the way they came back to her in sudden bursts. For years she had had to live with the confusion, suffer with not knowing what was happening to her; what they were making her do.

She had always prayed for a recollection of what had happened all of those nights, had craved to know what she had done, yet now it was happening, now she was seeing and hearing the destruction she had caused she was finding herself growing less willing to discover the truth.

It had been happening for nearly two weeks; two weeks since she had seen that woman.

That had been when the memories had become clearer, when her vision of the events had become less blurred.

_Who _was that woman?

Clearly she had been trapped in the same way as herself, clearly she was being used for the same purpose; so who was she to her?

The sound of approaching footsteps made her jump with a start and she quickly wiped her eyes and stood up in preparation.

'Eve?'

At the sound of his voice Eve felt her body completely relax and unconsciously, a smile curved up her lips.

'Draco!' she called softly.

The lock of the door opened with a gentle click and the door swung upon revealing her friend.

'You haven't come in ages!' she scolded lightly, but her happiness at his visit was evident in her tone and he smiled slightly before arching an eyebrow arrogantly.

'I've been busy' he told her in a clipped tone and she chuckled lowly.

Over the last year he had tried harder and harder to mimic his father's cold airs and arrogant tone, and whilst she couldn't deny he carried it off extremely well, it amused her to no end.

'Did you bring it?' she asked excitedly, rushing as close to him as the chains that bound her allowed.

'Of course I brought it' he scoffed 'Malfoy's don't break their word'

'But I thought Slytherins pride themselves on being sly...' she mocked lightly, and grinned at the immediate scowl on his face.

'Oh shut up Eve' he grinned, his features suddenly lighting up into those of the boy she recognised as her friend before suddenly looking nervous.

'And you're going to stick to _your_ promise?' his eyes narrowed 'if my father finds out –'

'I _always _keep my promises' she mimicked his arrogant tone, and raised her eyebrows 'Draco, I wouldn't do anything to get you into trouble, you know that' she added seriously.

It was true. Even if her life depended on it, even if using the wand could help her to escape, she would never do so if it hurt Draco. For seven years he had been her sole reason for survival. He had been the one good thing in her life; and still was, even if he had grown more like his father with time.

Draco was everything she had.

He had paused for a second and stared at her, his expression torn.

'I better not regret this' he muttered, before pulling two wands out of his robes and hesitatingly handing one to her.

'Now I can show you how much better at magic than you I am' she smiled happily, and Draco couldn't help the faint smile that pulled at his lips.

'You? Beat me?' he smirked 'do you have any idea what to even do with that thing?'

'Expelliarmus!' Eve called quickly, immediately disarming the boy before her and wiping the smug look off of his face.

'Wha – '

Before Draco had time to speak Eve quickly added a sweeping movement and let out a laugh of delight as he was suddenly suspended upside down in the air.

'Eve –'

She clutched her stomach and bent over, laughing even harder at his look out outrage.

'Eve put me –'

She attempted to take him seriously but as soon as she looked at him she dissolved once again into peels of laughter.'

'EVE, PUT ME DOWN!' Draco yelled.

The anger in his voice immediately broke off Eve's laughter and she stared at him in alarm.

Quickly waving the wand, she carefully lowered Draco so that he was once again on the floor, and she flinched at the look of rage on his features.

'How _dare_ you do that to me!' he ranted angrily 'who do you think you are?'

'Who do I think _I _am?' Eve asked quietly, her grey eyes flashing with warning.

Choosing to ignore the signal to stop, Draco continued with his rant, his eyes glaring coldly at her.

'I won't come again if you're going to do things like – '

'Well maybe it's better if you don't come anymore, rather than just threatening not too!' Eve interrupted.

'Well fine I won't!' he retorted coldly 'But just remember Eve, I'm your only friend...'

'Not when you're acting like this you're not!' she bit back 'you're not my friend when you're trying so hard to act like your dad!'

She looked away quickly, feeling the burn of angry tears in her eyes and she attempted to blink them away.

'-and just remember Draco' she added quietly 'I'm your only friend too.'

Draco paused in the doorway at her words, frozen to the spot.

She was right.

She had been his only friend, not only growing up but even now.

She was the only one who held no prejudice or expectations of him based on his family name; and judging by the condition in which he had often found her she had more right than anyone to have prejudice against his family.

He sighed, whilst in principal he wanted to stomp away and not turn back to her, he knew from experience that he would regret that later.

Instead, he gritted his teeth and walked back over, taking a seat next to her.

'Anyway' she continued knowing she had won, a faint note of amusement in her tone 'at least I didn't turn you into a ferret...'

'I knew I shouldn't have told you about that!' he groaned, shooting her a glare to which she responded with a childlike grin.

That was the thing with Eve.

Whilst he didn't even dare to think about what she suffered down in this room; in her prison. She remained so childlike, so naive, and it was an exceptionally unusual and beautiful thing to see in Malfoy Manor.

'So...how did you learn to do –that' he indicated to the wand in her hands 'and you could not turn me into a...ferret' he hissed the word.

'There's a lot you don't know about me' she teased, and smiled warmly at him, clearly pleased they were no longer arguing 'but I've been having lessons in magic ever since you started Hogwarts...and believe me, I'm pretty sure I could' she smiled.

'You have?' Draco asked, ignoring her last comment 'who's been teaching you?'

'Your dad' she told him 'sometimes your mum' she added with a shrug.

'That's more than he's ever done for me' Draco replied bitterly 'the most he takes notice in my schooling is checking my grades at the end of the year.'

'Well I wouldn't get too jealous Draco, it's hardly fun and games.' She mumbled, her eyes darkening for a second.

He didn't reply to that.

They spent the next hour showing each other spells they had learnt, Draco's often small and childish whilst Eve's often being tricky and a little more purposeful.

'It does _what?_' Eve exclaimed when Malfoy explained the Bat-Bogey Hex, laughing.

'Oh come on, surely you've heard of it?'

'Can you imagine your dad teaching me _that_?' she gave him a sideways glance, and they both sniggered at the prospect.

'Why does he bother teaching you?' Draco asked suddenly, frowning.

'Oh, thanks!' Eve retorted sarcastically 'why does he_ bother?_ Am I that much of a lost cause?'

'Oh you know what I mean' he quickly brushed past her sarcasm 'if he's keeping you here, then why is he bothering to teach you? Have you found out anything more?'

She had been meaning to discuss all of her memories with him, but now that she was facing the conversation, her throat suddenly dried up and she stared at him nervously.

'Eve?' he asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

'I...erm...well –'

'Eve, what do you know?' he pushed, his face open with interest.

They had discussed the possible answer to this question nearly every time they had seen each other since they had met.

Coming up with everything from the most likely, to the most ridiculous answers whilst both craving to know the truth. Draco had seen the look in Eve's eyes over and over, the way she yearned for the truth. How desperate she was for an answer. He had often felt the same way himself, perhaps not to the same magnitude but the desperation and frustration had been felt all the same.

'Eve?' he pressed again, watching as she nervously chewed on her bottom lip.

'I've been having flashbacks' she blurted 'I've been remembering –'

'-Remembering what?' he demanded quickly.

'The things that happen when they take me out.'

'When you leave this room?' he clarified, and she nodded vigorously. 'What have you been remembering?

Her head jerked up to stare into his eyes, and she felt her hands beginning to shake.

Could she tell him?

He knew that his father wasn't a nice man; but to tell truly how evil the man was...

'Eve' his voice became gentle, far more gentle than she had heard him speak in a long time and she jumped as the warm sensation of his hand resting on top of her own caused her mind to go blank.

'I think they make me do really bad things, Draco' she told him quietly.

'Like what?'

'Like...like hurt people. Like make them tell me things they want to know. Like make them forget anything we do to them –'

'Make them forget? Make them tell you things?' Draco shook his head in confusion 'how could you_ make _them do anything Eve?

'I – I don't know! B-But I can! I do!' she replied, her voice starting to break and her eyes welling with tears 'I make them scream and they ask me to stop...and I wake up here covered in blood' she shuddered and glanced back at Draco to detect any disgust in his eyes.

She didn't find any.

'We always knew there must be something about you...that they must need you for something –'

'And I saw _Him_ Draco' she whispered, her voice tight with fear.

'The Dark Lord?' Draco clarified, his voice also dropping to a whisper.

'It was awful, so so horrible' the tears were freely running down her cheeks now, and his hand tightened around her own 'but there was this woman...this other woman...'

'Who?' Draco asked quickly, a queasy sensation hitting his stomach at the look of unadulterated fear in her eyes.

'She was like me; a prisoner. But older than us.' She paused to take a deep breath before carrying on 'she escaped. She got away!'

He caught the hope in her voice, the longing in her tone and although he knew it was selfish he resented her for it. He didn't want her to escape or to leave the Manor.

Because it was a prison for both of them, it was only Eve that made it his home. Things were changing, he had known that since the business with Potter and Diggory at the Triwizard tournament, and he was scared.

He knew what was expected of him, he knew how he was supposed to act and the way he did in front of his school peers. But the concept of what would be asked of him was suddenly weighing on him greatly.

Eve had seen _Him_.

It was no longer a possibility or a what if, it was real.

'How did she escape?' he asked, his voice coming out slightly higher than normal.

'I- I don't really remember. All I remember is suddenly being outside, and she threw your mum off of me –'

'Threw? What was she a Muggle?' he asked, confused.

'No, no of course not' she shook her head 'with – with her hands' she extended her own to show him.

'Wandless magic?' he breathed and she nodded her confirmation.

'But when I saw her...it was like...like I _knew _her –' she placed her hand on her head and frowned as if trying to clear her thoughts 'God, I have a headache'

'Are you okay?' he asked, surprising himself at how soft his voice was.

She nodded in response, gazing into his grey eyes.

'You know when we were younger I used to pretend you were my sister...actually I used to think you might have been at first' he told her, trying to make the tone lighter. To distract her from the thoughts that were creating the mournful sadness cloud her eyes.

'Me too, same hair...eyes' she shrugged 'but I figured that wasn't possible – not with the way they would –'

'-they would what?' Draco interrupted, watching as her eyes darkened to stormy grey.

'Nothing' she muttered 'I'm just happy I have you'

His stomach gave a slight flip at her words and immediately he felt guilty for how he had spoken to her earlier.

He was finding it harder and harder to remain so open with her; to be the same boy he had been when he met her.

His father was placing more and more pressure on him to live up to the Malfoy name, and it worried him sometimes how much power she held over him.

How _weak _she made him.

He told himself over and over he wouldn't go to her again. That he would forget about her and continue on his expected path; to follow the Dark Lord.

But whenever he saw that _bloody _chain attached to her leg, whenever he saw the sadness in her eyes and the cuts and bruises on her flesh he couldn't stop the anger.

The anger at his parents; for _what _they were.

And it wasn't good. He couldn't live up to his father's reputation as the family heir whilst feeling sympathetic to someone who was merely a prisoner.

He shuddered at even thinking the word.

_Prisoner._

It wasn't fitting. It wasn't right. However hard he tried to convince himself that she was nothing, that he could push her aside, he knew deep down he couldn't.

She was Eve.

_His _Eve.

'You always have me' he muttered, staring straight ahead of him, still deep in thought and his expression blank.

He felt her shift beside him, as if about to respond, when a distant sound made them both freeze.

Approaching footsteps.

He turned to her quickly, her face a mask of horror and fear, an expression he knew was mirrored in his own.

'Shit' he cursed, jumping up and clutching his hair in his fist.

His heart was thumping with panic and his eyes were wide.

'Draco' her voice trembled, but was laced with urgency.

'Draco' she repeated faster, ensuring she had his attention 'you saw the passage slightly open, you heard a noise so came down to investigate, you found me – I attacked you'

'W-What?' he stuttered in confusion 'what do you –'

'Shut up' she hissed 'we don't have time. I attacked you – now shoot a spell at me...and take this' she threw the wand he had brought her back to him.

'No – Eve I won't'

'Fine' she snapped, narrowing her eyes at him, somehow knowing that this time, for once by her own control, it would work.

'GET AWAY FROM ME!' she screamed, and flung out her arm flinching as she watched him get thrown back, letting out a yell of shock.

The footsteps increased to a run.

'I'm so sorry Draco' she whispered urgently 'but do _not _interfere with anything – no matter what! Promise me!' she begged him, her eyes wide and pleading.

Staring at her as if she were a complete stranger, he nodded mutely, just as the door of the room was blast open.

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews I'm so happy that you're all enjoying the story! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter - i've left you on a bit of a cliff hanger - any guesses what might happen?**

**I'm already writing the next chapter so it should be up in no time! All your reviews are really keeping me motivated with writing this so I just want to thank you so much!**

**Also if any of you have any stories you would like to recommend I'd be greatful! I promise to review x**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter nine**

She didn't have time to even blink before her feet were uplifted from the floor and she was hurtled backwards into the wall behind her.

Her back hit the wall with a dull thud and she let out a small grunt as the wind was knocked out of her.

'Get up' the familiar voice of Lucius Malfoy commanded, venom laced within every syllable he spat.

She tried to respond to her request, with trembling arms she attempted to pull her body up, but instead remained on all fours, struggling to take in oxygen.

'Father-' she heard Draco's frightened voice sound, and she prayed he would stay silent.

'-what are you doing in here, Draco?' Lucius demanded.

'I- I –' Draco began to stutter, but continued as his father narrowed his eyes at him 'I heard a noise and w-when I came to see...she – she – she attacked me'

_Good boy_ she thought silently, although she felt an irrational twinge of betrayal at hearing the words come from his mouth.

She glanced up from the ground, and smiled slightly at Draco, whose face was now a deathly pale; her smile was mistaken for smugness.

'You _dare _attack a Malfoy?' Lucius hissed.

She opened her mouth with a biting reply, but the look in Lucius' eyes caused her tongue to freeze in terror.

He looked furious, beyond furious, his eyes were shooting burning daggers towards her and she knew she was in serious trouble.

'I shall show you what happens to _filth _that disrespect their superiors'

The tiny word slipped from his lips as casually as a hello or goodbye. Yet the very sound of the first character sent chills down her spine.

'Please' she managed to squeak out, before words were no longer possible to form.

Her screams consumed the room as the pain fragmented her very being; ripping and tearing at her flesh, rupturing her organs and slicing through her veins.

'FATHER!' Draco's outraged cry reached her ears, but it held no effect. The pain continued.

When it was gone she lay whimpering on the floor, curled into a ball as if the less of herself exposed, the less likely it was she would be hurt once again.

'Please...please I'm sorry!' she cried, her face drowning in her tears.

'Did you think you would get away with it?' he taunted, the smirk evident in his tone 'you need to learn who is in charge and where your place is.'

'Father – please!' Draco's voice was quiet, filled with horror.

'Be quiet Draco' his father snapped 'it is about time you start to behave like an adult. We are Malfoy's and we do not condone weakness'

She just about managed to bring her head up to look at Draco. His eyes were wide, his face a dull grey, and his forehead laced with sweat.

_Oh, Draco._

'Crucio'

Lucius' words eradicated any more of her thoughts and she let out a final scream, begging for mercy, before the world went black.

* * *

><p>Alina sat up bolt right in bed and let out a strangled cry.<p>

She looked around, her gaze wild, as if expecting to be surrounded by attackers.

_It was a dream._

'Just a dream' she muttered.

'Alli?' Sirius' voice called from the doorway, and he proceeded to patter over to her.

'W-Where were you?' she managed to choke out, her throat feeling painfully dry.

'You fell asleep in the living room, I thought I'd let you rest before the Meeting...' he mumbled 'and then I felt you –' he looked at her with concern, his eyes scanning her face 'what's wrong?'

'Bad dream' she mumbled, averting her gaze from his.

'About?' he pressed.

'Are you sure they searched the Malfoy's house properly?' she asked in a small voice.

'Alli, we've been over this so many times...they searched everywhere you said...they found nothing and no one' Sirius told her calmly, his brow creased in concern.

'I- I know' she sighed, scooting over so that Sirius could share the armchair with her.

Leaning into him, she immediately felt a wave of calm wash over her and she let out a deep sigh.

'Do you want to start taking Dreamless potion again?' he asked her gently, brushing her hair out of her face and she shook her head.

'No, I've always had nightmares' she told him plainly 'I should be used to it by now.'

'So it was about her again?' he asked.

'Yeah' she groaned 'I'm beginning to think I imagined her...'

'And...well you don't think –' Sirius spoke hesitantly, unsure of whether to approach the subject once again.

'I don't think _what?_' Alina's tone was immediately cool, he could see her eyes turning to steel even in the darkness.

'Look could it not be possible? You said she was a teenager –'

'No' she replied bluntly.

'Alina, if you would just talk about what actually happened –'

'I said _no _Sirius!' she snapped.

'Alli –'

'_What?'_ she hissed.

'I have a right to know!' he argued 'if you would stop being so selfish'

'Selfish? Selfish!' Alina asked incredulously 'you haven't got a clue –'

'-because you won't tell me!'

'Because it hurts too much!' she yelled, her eyes widening at her own words and immediately she snapped her mouth shut.

Sirius paused for a second, in surprise, his glare only lasting for a moment before melting into sympathy.

'Don't do it –' she warned, seeing his gaze.

'Alli I'm –'

'Don't' she told him, pulling away from him and jumping up, heading towards the doorway.

'Where are you going Alina?'

'To the meeting' she muttered, as she walked steadily out of the room leaving Sirius alone, and in silence.

He didn't know how he felt.

One minute he was sure he was angry, then guilty and then sad.

He had always known that Alina would be hard to reach when she had returned, she was hard to read even before the events of the last fourteen years had happened, but he didn't quite expect the extent of it all.

One moment she was fine, she was happy to laugh with him, to talk with him, to be held by him...

But when they got too close, when they hovered on the edge of real romance, she pulled back; retreating once again into her shell.

'Women' he muttered, before shaking his head and correcting himself 'Alina.'

He had just as much right as she did to know what had happened with their child. And that was when the rage set in.

How could she keep it from him? How could she deny him the truth.

_Because it hurts_ a small voice in his head echoed her words and he groaned out loud, running his hands through his hair.

'What do I do?' he muttered into the night.

* * *

><p>He found her just as she was about to enter the meeting room with Remus.<p>

'Alli –' he called, causing her to pause in the doorway.

'Yes?' she asked casually, to anyone else it would appear completely civil but Sirius was able to detect the distance in her tone, and the way her eyes didn't quite meet his own. Her heart was thumping wildly, and inwardly she cursed herself for she knew that she was in the wrong.

Of course he would want to know.

Of course he had the right to know...

'You can't keep running away, we need to talk –' he began pleadingly.

'Let's not do this right now Sirius –' she looked anywhere but his eyes, his grey, soulful eyes, that she knew were begging with her to work with him; to help him.

She knew that seeing that look in his eyes would crack her, would make her want to scream until her voice no longer worked, to cry until her body was void of moisture and to truly accept what had happened so many years back...

'But I do have the right to know!' he exclaimed in exhasperation.

'I know!' she squeaked, her voice higher in her state of panic.

She felt the rushing of blood through her veins, the speedy increase of her heartbeat and the layer of sweat forming on her forehead.

_Breathe, just breathe _she told herself over and over, keeping her eyes expertly trained on the dusty lampshade just to the left of Sirius' head.

'Alli..' his voice suddenly became gentle, his words caressing her name and simultaneously breaking her heart.

He took a step closer to her, and her mind flashed back to that night in the kitchens when they were teenagers, the complete vulnerability she felt before him. She gulped down the lump in her throat, and fought against the urge to run; she could never run away from him.

'I know you don't want to think about it, or remember it...but sharing your pain helped you before, remember?'

His fingers gently traced her cheek and she felt a bolt of electricity spark through her nerves, just as her mind wondered back to the moment her and Sirius' souls had connected; the relief she had felt at no longer having to hide her secrets.

She glanced at him desperately and let out a deep breath.

'I know' she spoke in a voice so small it was barely audible even to her own ears.

Finally she allowed her eyes to meet his and it was as if a raging storm had erupted within her. Her heart beat like thunder crashing in her chest, lightening sent bolts of static through her skin causing her hairs to stand on end, and her breath was taken from her as if sucked out by an all mighty force.

He was so close.

_And getting closer._

His head bowed slightly, and moved tentatively towards her, his eyes soft with love and understanding and his lips drawing nearer and nearer.

'No!' she gasped, her voice choked and tore her face away from his.

She couldn't do this. She couldn't kiss him; not after what she had done.

Not after failing to protect her baby.

_Their _baby.

She closed her eyes tightly, but not before her brain acknowledged the shock and hurt that reflected in Sirius' stormy orbs.

'I'm so sorry' she whispered, pulling away from him and without giving him a chance to reply she fled into the Meeting room after the other members of the Order.

* * *

><p>Sirius let out a growl of anger and sent an angry red spark at a family heirloom. However, unlike normal, seeing the priceless antique explode into pieces did not soothe his nerves.<p>

Gritting his teeth he marched through the doorway Alina had just gone through and avoiding eye contact with anyone else threw himself into his usual seat beside Remus and waited for the Meeting to start.

Gradually the chitter chatter amongst the members died down to a hushed muttering and at the sound of the door clicking shut Sirius raised his eyes to watch Dumbledore sweep into the room and take his place at the head of the table.

His eyes were trained like a hawk on his old Headmaster and had it not been for the bubble of anger that combusted within him – a feeling he did not recognise as his own – he would not have noticed the presence of Severus Snape.

His ignorance however did not extend to Alina, whose eyes were burning like lasers into the man's skull and whose rage was the cause of the feeling in the pit of his stomach.

He turned his head towards Snape and he was immediately met by a snarl; one that he eagerly threw back with equal venom.

As Dumbledore began to address the room, introducing Alina and outlining her tale, Sirius observed her from the corner of his eye. He could see her hands visibly shaking as they tightly clutched the table before her, as if attempting to refrain herself from lunging at Snape across the table.

He felt himself smirk slightly; he would quite like to see that happen.

* * *

><p>Alina silently seethed to herself.<p>

She had been upset enough over Sirius, over the dilemma she found herself in and her incapability of opening up about what had happened to their child...

_And then Snivellus turns up._

How could she be expected to sit in a room for at any length of time with _that _man.

Did Dumbledore truly deem it fair? Did he not consider what past Alina could possibly have with Snape?

She may not have spelt it out for her old Headmaster, but she had enough faith in his intelligence to believe that he knew, or at least suspected, Snape's involvement with her kidnap.

She had managed to sit in silence for the majority of the meeting and remain relatively uninvolved as Dumbledore explained what had happened to her over the last fourteen years.

In fact her eyes had been completely trained on Snape as Dumbledore spoke of her kidnap, as he talked of her torture and her captivity...of the brutality she had been met with.

And Snape had done everything he could to ignore her.

_Coward._

'Now, Severus has agreed to discuss methods to prevent kidnapping of key figures in the organisation. He had been keeping his ears open to any plans of a potential plot to take any body and this will be essential in helping us to stop this from happen –'

She had told herself over and over to remain silent; to let the meeting run its course and to vent her feelings about it later.

But the _second _that Dumbledore had referred to Snape _helping _to prevent kidnaps occurring was the second that her will power snapped.

A cold, slightly hysterical laugh broke from her lips as Snape stood up before them to address the Order and she felt every eye in the room turn to her, yet she didn't care.

She wiped the angry tears that had formed in the corner of her eyes and her laugh stifled to a low chuckle.

The whole situation seemed utterly ridiculous to her.

_How could he get off unpunished? How could the man who was responsible for ruining everything precious to her be standing before her unharmed?_

'Alina, there is nothing amusing about this meeting' Molly told her quietly, her eyes slightly wary of her as if trying to detect if she was mad.

'Oh... but there really is, Molly!' Alina kept her tone forcefully bright 'in fact, this meeting is utterly ridiculous –'

'Alina, we have informed you of Severus' presence here –' Dumbledore interrupted her, his calm tone suddenly making her angrier.

'Oh I know _all _about Snivillus being here!' she burst, springing up from her seat and thumping her fists loudly on the table, causing many people to jump

'he's a perfect hero now, isn't he? Regardless to what he's done to people in the past –'

'The key word to that being in the past, Alina' Dumbledore responded 'now I'm going to have to ask you to calm down...'

'She's always been unsteady, even at Hogwarts' Snape smirked, causing the sound of another scraping chair as Sirius jumped up.

'Say that again Snivillus' he growled.

'Sit down, Sirius!' Dumbledore commanded, and hesitantly Sirius lowered himself, his eyes still glowering at Snape.

'Now, Alina, Severus has proved himself to me that he has changed sides, I trust him' he stated simply.

_Trust? He trusts him?_ Alina felt like howling with wrath. Was that all that was stopping Snape from being punished? Was that how he was wheedled his way into the Order?

'Then why didn't he tell you where I was!' she shouted, causing the silence to deepen in the room 'why didn't he help you find me!'

'They moved you' Snape told her stonily 'and I was informed that you had been killed. I did not know your whereabouts and I had no reason to believe you were alive'

'Then you shouldn't have taken me in the first place! You have _no idea _what you did!' she shouted, ignoring Dumbledore's insistence that she calm down

'I know! I have an idea! Why don't we go and invite Peter fucking Pettigrew into the Order?' she scathed.

She could feel her power bubbling within her, seeping through her veins and embracing her finger tips with its electric touch.

'At the time I had a different Master...I do not follow that master any longer –'

'HA!' Alina let out a sarcastic laugh, her entire body vibrating with emotion 'you expect me to believe that? I saw the enjoyment you got out of torturing me! I looked into your eyes as you put the Cruciatus on me and _laughed' _she spat, enjoying how Snape's expression was growing whiter and whiter.

'Do you think they stopped when _He_ was gone? Of course they fucking didn't!' her voice was growing louder and louder as all of the built up rage inside her finally released itself

'They did it EVERY DAY! OVER AND OVER AND OVER! – They cut me, they burnt me, they _used _ME!'

Even amongst her own whirlwind of emotions the horror and anger that engulfed Sirius ran through her veins, adding fuel to her own fire or rage.

'Alina, this is not the time –' Dumbledore spoke quietly.

'YES IT IS! BECAUSE WHEN ELSE IS THE TIME ALBUS?' she screamed, her face burning with tears and her head aching with the force of her cries.

'We need to work together in unity, we do not need to fight amongst ourselves – there is enough fighting –'

'Don't you think I know that? How – How can – how can you act like y-you _know?_' she gasped, her voice broken

'whilst you've all been living in peace for the last however many years I've been fighting over and over and FUCKING OVER, JUST TO SURVIVE!'

'Alina, I did not know you were alive' Snape told her tightly, his skin condensed with sweat and his expression looking slightly uneasy by her hysteria.

'But I was...I was alive. But do you know who wasn't – who isn't?' she choked, her rage finally reaching its fullest 'DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU DID?'

Without waiting for an answer, and before anyone could even attempt to stop her with every ounce of strength she possessed she hurled her memories of the last fourteen years towards Snape.

She forced them into his mind, pushing and shoving until his barriers finally could not withstand the power of her attack.

She hissed in sadistic bliss as she watched his eyes darken with horror and his lips twist into despair.

She watched as he shuddered under the memory of the Cruciatus Curse over and over and over. She saw him tremble as the knife sliced across her skin relentlessly, coating her in her own blood.

He gasped as they broke each bone in her body, one by one, snap by snap.

And finally she let out an anguished cry as she looked on as she fought desperately against them all, as she struggled in vain, as the flash of green light murdered her child.

She didn't notice the world going black around her, she wasn't even aware of her body crashing to the floor as her knees buckled beneath her.

All she was suddenly aware of were two firm arms wrapped around her, and the blur of a familiar face looking down over her.

She blinked hard three times before the world became clear around her and she could see that she was lying in Sirius' lap on the floor of the Meeting room.

A room that thankfully was now more or less empty, with the exceptions to Sirius, Dumbledore and to her disgust Snape.

Yet her anger at Snape's presence did not consume her attention any longer, it did not captivate her with importance as it had previously, because she felt the despair leaking from Sirius to herself. She felt his aching heart and she sensed his sadness.

Raising her eyes to meet his she gazed wordlessly up at him as her eyes soaked in the sight of salty tears running down his cheeks.

'I saw...I saw it all –'he murmured quietly, pulling her closer to his chest.

_He saw? He saw it all? _

Letting out a startled cry, her chest constricted as the meaning of his words sunk in.

Her anger had been so strong, so consuming, it was inevitable that at such a close proximity Sirius would experience her thoughts; her memories.

For a moment she froze in his embrace, a final layer of ice being painfully chizzled away from the edges of her heart and stripping her of her final layer of protection.

Then, with a shuddering breath, she met Sirius' mournful gaze with her own and allowed her body to give in to the grief she had contained for so many years.

'They killed our baby' she whispered the words out loud for the first time 'they – they killed our little g-girl...'

She clenched his shirt tightly in her fists and stared up at him pleadingly, begging for him to understand, yet waiting to see the anger and hatred she knew she deserved.

'I tried – I tried to stop them! I'm s-so sorry! I should have stopped them –'

His finger gently pressing over her lips hushed her, and his eyes smiled sadly down at her.

'I know you tried Alli...you did everything you could and listen to me; it is not your fault.'

_It is not your fault._

She felt like wings had sprouted on her back and she was hovering above the world.

Five little words she had so desperately wanted to, yet never believed she would hear.

'It's not my fault' she mouthed them soundlessly.

They held their embrace for a few more minutes, seeking comfort in each other's touch, before the sound of someone clearing their throat reminded them that they were in company.

Vision blurred still by her tears, Alina's eyes shot to the source of the sound and immediately narrowed as she recognised Snape.

_How dare he interrupt this moment? _she thought venomously.

'I hate to interrupt this..._touching_...display' he sneered 'but I believe it is to your benefit to know that the final memory you attacked me with has been tampered with.'

'_What?_' Sirius hissed, his eyes flickering from Snape to Dumbledore, who nodded his head in confirmation.

'Severus has shown me the memory and it has most definitely been victim to a memory charm' he informed them.

Alina couldn't form words, dumbfounded she stared from one person to the next in the room, far too scared to dare to ask what this meant.

How could it have been tampered with? And how did she not notice it had been changed in her mind?

'W-What bit has been tampered with?' Sirius stuttered, his face a deathly pale.

'The part where the child is killed, Sirius' Dumbledore told him softly, his gaze floating between Sirius and Alina.

'Which means, we have reason to believe that your daughter is still alive.'

**A/N: Okay, okay so I know you probably hate me! I know I updated much later than normal (a whole week late) but I do have a good excuse! I've been really ill and havent had any access to a laptop to be able to write anything! Even now i'm still bedridden, but able to function a little more!**

**Thank you so much for all of your reviews, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things will start speeding up from here on out!**

**I promise to respond to all your reviews over the next few days I just need to get some rest right now!**

**So hope you enjoy this and please pleaaaase review! It will make me feel so much better!**

**Thanks xx**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

'A- alive?' hesitantly, she allowed the word to escape her suddenly dry lips.

The heaviness of dread suddenly weighed down painfully on her stomach and she had to swallow hard to stop her stomach from rejecting its content.

'How do we find her? What do we do...do you know where she could be?'

Sirius gushed out the questions that were flying around in her own mind, but she could not focus her thoughts enough to concentrate on the conversation before her.

She felt an ominous spasm in her knees as they wobbled beneath her, and reached for the wall in support she allowed herself to sink to the floor, hugging her knees tightly to her chest as she forced her mind to calm to a still.

There was a loud buzzing in her ears and she closed her eyes tightly.

_She's alive, she's alive._

Her breath was catching in her throat as if I large lump was blocking her windpipe.

_How did I not notice? How could I not realise?_

Her head felt strangely light and her body felt horribly numb.

_I have to find her. I need to find her._

Her mind was spinning as thought after thought rampaged through her brain, bouncing and vibrating against the corners of her mind; even with her eyes closed she felt trapped in a web of panic.

And suddenly, as if it had built up in a crescendo of madness; everything went still.

The sound of Sirius' hurried conversation with Severus and Dumbledore vanished from her ears. The buzzing was gone. The stream of thoughts zooming through her mind seized and as clear as day, as plain as anything, a picture formed before her eyes.

It was an image that came from the very core of her soul. It seemed so obvious; so painstakingly obvious. Perhaps she had always known, the way it had stuck in her mind.

_My heart recognised you. _

Blonde hair, grey eyes and a heartbreakingly beautiful face.

'- we need to think about this rationally...'

'-no we need to act now!'

'Sirius, if we act to suddenly without pausing to think then there could be dire consequences –'

'Every second that _my _daughter is with _them _is dire!'

'I know where she is'

The second the words blurted from her mouth, the argument between the three men cut off into silence, as they all turned to stare at her.

Feeling a sudden burst of energy from her realisation she pulled herself to her feet, her eyes fixed intently on Sirius' and her face set in determination.

'She's at the Malfoy Manor –'

'-Impossible, I've been there hundreds of times, it's been searched over and over...' Snape interrupted, and Sirius snorted loudly.

'Then why didn't you know Alli was there then?' he sneered, and Snape's mouth shut closed.

Her gaze was broken from Sirius as Dumbledore took a hurried few steps forward, so that he was staring deeply into her face.

'How do you know this Alina?' he asked her urgently.

'I – I've seen her' she breathed, her brows creasing 'the night I escaped, there was another person...a girl.' She was stumbling over her words as she tried to get them out as quickly as possible 'She had blonde hair...'

' – and grey eyes' Sirius continued, sucking in a deep breath of realisation.

'I'm so sorry' she told him 'you were right...'

'Shhh' he hushed her, before turning to Dumbledore 'you heard Alli, Malfoy Manor! Let's go!'

'I'm afraid it isn't as simple as that Sirius.'

'_What?' _Sirius hissed in disbelief, causing Alina to flinch as his wave of anger hit her simultaneously to her own.

'We cannot just go bounding in there; we need to formulate a plan. We must determine her exact location and predict what matters of protection will be surrounding her –'

'- and how do you propose we do all of that?' he quickly interrupted through gritted teeth.

'For your daughter to be imprisoned in the same way that Alina was there must have been a use for her, it is only logical to assume she is gifted with the same powers as her mother...assuming this then her mind would have instantaneously have been linked with Alina's from birth, as it would have with anyone with their bloodline.'

'So what exactly are you saying?' Alina demanded, fidgeting impatiently in frustration.

'I am saying that we can hopefully use this link to determine her location.'

'Right, let's get started then.' Sirius stated, clapping his hands together and moving to sit back down at the table.

Alina immediately followed him, her heart beginning to race with the concept of finding her daughter.

_She's alive._

The thought caused a random giggle to burst from her lips, and she felt the alarmed glances from Snape and Dumbledore burning into her cheeks at the sound of her hysteria.

But as she glanced up at Sirius, and he caught her gaze, she knew that he understood.

She saw the same bewilderment and disbelief in his eyes that she knew was held in her own. And when he moved towards her and held out his hand she clutched it tightly, desperately, as if it were her very lifeline.

And in some ways it was.

* * *

><p>The chair scraped on the floor as Dumbledore took a seat directly across the table from Alina. The sound echoed against the walls and seemed to increase the tense atmosphere in the room.<p>

'Severus, you do not need to stay here now, you are free to go home and rest' Dumbledore turned to the man beside him 'you must be exhausted –'

'-NO!' her protest came out far louder than she had intended 'you might trust him Albus, but I do not. He could run out of here and go straight to Voldemort with this information...'

'I was the one who gave you the information' Snape retorted dryly.

'I don't care. I want him in here where we can see him...I am _not _taking any risks when It comes to finding her'

Snape opened his mouth to protest, but she kept her gaze firmly set on Dumbledore's eyes.

She did not know what he saw in them, but something in her gaze must have told him that she was deadly serious.

'Would you mind staying Severus?' he asked simply, and after a curt nod from Snape, turned immediately back to Alina.

'Now...what do I do?' she asked, grasping Sirius' hand even tighter.

'Breathe in. Deeply. And exhale slowly' Dumbledore instructed, and closing her eyes Alina followed his directions.

'Do so until you feel completely calm' he continued 'ignore everything else around you, everyone here, listen to only my voice.'

With her whole body trembling slightly she continued to breathe in the way she was told, blocking out the creaking noises of the ancient house they sat in, the slightly jagged breath of Sirius beside her and the sound of footsteps coming from above.

'Now, I want you to connect with your powers. Allow your mind to trail through your body, over each atom, each organ from your head to your toes. Let yourself explore the power within you and embrace it as tightly as you can.'

Unable to brush away the thought of how stupid the instruction sounded, Alina sighed and attempted to do as the man said.

The familiar jolt of electricity sparked up the second she focused on her mind, on the ability it held, and with this jolt she pushed it down her neck, she led it down her chest and let it seep through her lungs until she felt as though she were breathing her power. The tingle flowed along her arms, causing each hair to stand on end until it reached her fingertips and almost begged to be allowed to continue.

She was positive that if anyone so much as touched her at that moment they would be greeted with a shock of sheer electricity.

She shivered as the tingle travelled down her spine and caressed her legs as it ventured to her feet.

'Amazing' she muttered, uttering her thoughts out loud.

It truly felt amazing. It was as if her entire body had given in to her power, she no longer was Alina, a witch, a human – she had become pure, undiluted magic.

'Keep your breathing steady Alina' Dumbledore warned her as her chest began to move faster with exhilaration 'you need complete and utter focus'

Mutely, she nodded, and forced herself to slow her breathing, focusing on the slow tingle in her throat as the oxygen transpired into her very own magic. She could feel the power willing her to allow it to escape, to flee her body and flood into the outside world.

'What now?' she muttered through clenched teeth, as she began to fight with the urge to allow it to leave her clutches.

'Imagine your daughter. Remember how you felt when she first kicked. Remember how close you felt to her knowing she lived in you, that she was part of you. Remember how hard you fought to keep her alive, to stop them from hurting her. The strength it took for your magic to keep her alive inside you even when they were torturing you.'

As he spoke the words the memories came alive before her eyes. She remembered her amazement as her stomach swelled, even in the darkest of hours, even as she was tortured, she could not hold back her wonder at the child that grew within her. She remembered the shock as the tiny foot nudged her stomach, letting her know that she wasn't alone; she would never be alone. How she felt when they had discovered her pregnancy; she had something to fight for – to live for.

'Now picture her face, remember her hair, her eyes...'

_My hair, Sirius' eyes._

The face appeared before her instantly, without any confusion or loss of memory.

'Reach out for that face, push your powers towards that one thought...send them too her.'

Whilst it had been easy enough to allow her powers to flow freely through her, reeling them back in was not the same. She urged them to follow her command but the resistance was powerful.

It begged her to let it escape, to run freely, not to be trapped within her mind.

She pulled and tugged at the sensation, feeling the sweat begin to trickle down her face as she did so.

'It is _your _power Alina' Dumbledore told her firmly 'you can control it.'

'Think of her Alli...think of our girl'

It was Sirius' words alone that gave her the strength of control, giving her the ultimate surge of power.

'GO...TO...HER' she shouted out loud, in an attempt to strengthen her thoughts.

The sensation was strange, as if her mind was vacuuming up the spilled power in her body. It sucked it away from her fingertips, drew it up from her legs and caused it to shoot back up her spine.

It licked away the power from her lungs, making her breath catch as if there were no longer any oxygen in the world.

Each tear, each suck of the power tendrils caused her to gasp out loud. It stung. An icy burn replaced the wonderful tingling sensation.

An intense pressure grew within her skull as more and more power was forced unwillingly back inside it. It felt as if a thousand creatures were clawing at her mind, desperately scraping against her skull to escape their prison.

'Alli...?'

Sirius' calls seemed so distant, too far away to cling to; to seek solace in.

The pain was almost unbearable, her mind was on fire. Scorching her, scolding her from the inside out.

'Go. To. Her' she commanded through clenched teeth.

And pushing harder than she had ever done with her mind, she launched her powers away from her with the sole image of her daughter in her mind.

And it went.

It went to her daughter.

The pain evaporated almost instantaneously, leaving her entire body in total exhaustion.

She felt Sirius' arms wrap around her and allowed him to draw her in to him as she rested her head on his shoulder.

'Well done' Dumbledore told her quietly, smiling gently at her.

''ot 'now?' she muttered.

'Pardon?' Dumbledore questioned softly, gazing sympathetically at her exhausted frame.

'She said, what now?' Sirius repeated, squeezing her too him.

'Hopefully the power will find your daughter and then return to you, some will remain with her and this should allow us to detect her whereabouts...'

'Wait!' Sirius protested '_Hopefully? Should?_ So basically you don't really know if this will work? We need to know where she is _now!'_

'I am afraid I have never met another Witch with Alina's bloodlines so everything I suggest is based on logic and theory...I do not however believe that I am wrong.'

'So when will I know where she is? And how?' Alina asked tiredly.

'Hopefully not too long Alina, but sadly none of us can be the masters of magic to completely beckon it under our command. We are simply the servants it dedicates itself too'

* * *

><p>Eve jolted awake suddenly and found herself gasping for breath, her chest was heaving and she felt her skin glittering with sweat.<p>

And that woman's face was burning into her eyelids.

Reaching out to the wall for some support, she tentatively pulled herself up into a sitting position and slowly moved each limb to test for any painful areas.

She sighed when she realised the pain was no longer as severe as it had been a few days before, and tilted her head to crack her neck.

Sleeping on the floor was not helping her body to heal.

Sighing, she brushed her hair behind her ears and glanced around the room, it now looked like exactly what it had always been; a prison.

All furniture and aspects of comfort had been almost immediately removed, and she had been left with a windowless, empty cell.

For the past few days she had neither the energy nor the physical ability to notice her surroundings. She had awoken from unconsciousness in an incredibly bad state and it even startled herself that she had managed to survive the attack.

The floor, previously drenched with crimson, was now stained with the rusty brown colour of dry blood. Stroking her fingertips across her cheek she could feel the undeniable swelling under her eyes and the tenderness of bruised skin.

For the first day of consciousness she had just simply cried. And the stinging caused by the salty tears reaching her cuts brought on even more tears.

At some point, she guessed she had cried herself to sleep.

The day after that she had barely been able to move, every joint in her body was in agony, every muscle ached and her head thumped wildly against her skull.

But amongst it all, the most pain was in her heart.

Draco was gone. He would never be able to return again, not now he had been caught, and that knowledge alone broke her heart.

What more did she have to live for? What was there to look forward too?

How long would it be before she was put before _him _again? How long before she would be used again as their sick weapon?

But this morning, today, she had woken up with a new surge of energy that she didn't know she had left in her to possess. With the lack of food, the pain and injuries she had suffered, it seemed almost impossible to feel so alive.

She had awoken to that woman's face yet again.

She had been haunted by the blonde hair, the blue eyes that flashed with a power far too intense for herself to be able to comprehend, and the face thin as a clear result of malnutrition and poor treatment.

She had been used the same way as herself.

And yet she was older, far older than Eve, so how long had she been there?

Sometimes she pretended that she was the stranger. That she looked as strong as the other woman, and possessed the same power that she wielded in order to escape.

She would day dream and fantasize for hours just how she would do it, how she would break their hold on her and disappear into the night air.

But _how _had she disappeared? That was a puzzle Eve had never been able to solve. It was something she had never been taught in all of her lessons with Lucius.

_Probably for exactly that reason; so I don't escape._

She groaned out loud, and felt both restless and frustrated as she looked around at her prison.

She could not live like this. She knew she would go mad, and it probably wouldn't take very long.

When the room had been furnished she could pretend it was a home, a place she resided in out of choice, but empty as it was now she could not fool herself.

'I need to get out'

As soon as the thought entered her mind, the words were on her lips.

_I have to escape._

'But how?' she mumbled, frowning in frustration.

Resting her head in her hands she closed her eyes to try and clear her mind, she needed to think...

_Think, think, think..._

Almost instantly the familiar image of the woman was conjured up by her mind's eye.

_How did you do it? How did she do it?_

'Help me' she whispered, knowing how utterly ridiculous the plea sounded in the emptiness surrounding her.

She began to impatiently pace the room, as if her body were urging her mind to begin working; to find some plan of escape.

As she paced faster and faster a strange tingling sensation caressed her chest, and began spreading across her torso.

The feeling was electrifying, and she gasped out in wonder as the sensation flooded through her veins, reaching the very tips of her fingers and the soles of her feet.

Within seconds her entire body was absorbed by the electrifying force and it both terrified her and left her in pure exhilaration.

The frustration she had been feeling evaporated and instead she felt something she had not experienced, perhaps ever.

_Total power._

She could feel the tingling burning at her fingers, pulling at the surface of her skin, begging for release.

At first the sensation scared her, what was happening? What would occur if she let it free...this all consuming energy that had born inside of her?

But this was quickly brushed aside as a tiny thought scuttled into the forefront of her mind.

_What have I got to lose?_

The results of her decision were apparent instantly, as if a gust of wind had swept through her, the power surged from her body. It escaped from every possible angle, charging out of her and into the prison.

She shouted out loud in shock as the room began to shake, as the pressure of the electric energy forced itself against the concrete walls, as it barged against the doorway and caused the wooden frame to split.

The sound of a dull rumble ominously reached Eve's ears and she cowered backwards against the wall, staring wildly around her as the power crackled in the air.

The noise grew louder and louder, the pressure growing more and more intense until with a mind blowing crash, the doorway and the majority of the wall surrounding it blew into pieces.

Wood, rocks, concrete and dust exploded around her, hurtling dangerously towards her.

In a natural reflex her arms flew out in protection as she let out an ear piercing scream of terror.

And everything fell silent.

It was as if her scream had frozen time itself. The deafening rumble that had seemed to shake the very foundations of the manor suddenly ceased, the rubble and splinted wood that had been hurtled into the air around her had dropped instantly to the floor before it had reached her and only the sounds of her panting could be heard at all.

Trembling violently, she steadied herself on her feet and let out a shaky whimper as the shock set in.

'What...the...'

Her words trailed off as her eyes finally appreciated the sight before her.

A giant hole in the place that had once held the door that locked her in.

She knew that someone would have heard the catastrophe that had taken place in her cell, and that she only had a matter of minutes before they would reach her, so not pausing to think she sprinted across the room and darted through the hole.

It was time to escape.

**A/N: So sorry it's taken so long, family drama, deadlines and University work have taken their toll over my free time to write! I know this is a bit of a nothing chapter but it's leading up to the next one which will be longer than normal! I hope I still have my readers and I'm sorry i've left you for so long!**

**Please review to let me know you're still here!**

**And i'll update as soon as i can!**

**Thank you!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Eve sprinted up the staircase, her heart was racing and her breath was short.

She would be dead for certain if she was caught.

Taking the stairs two at a time she quickly reached the top and stopped with confusion. The wall before her was solid. Whenever she had been taken up there before she had always been under the command of Lucius or Narcissa so she had no idea how to make the passage open and how to get out.

Her forehead was covered in sweat and her hands shook with panic as she tried to determine what to do.

Surely someone was on their way by now? Her mind was completely aware that she had less than a few seconds to figure out how to open it.

In desperation she threw her arm out and thumped the wall loudly. The second her flesh connected with the cold stone a familiar tingling sensation shot down her arm and she had to prevent herself from crying out in shock as the wall moved backwards and allowed her passage into the main house.

'Thank you' she whispered in relief.

Letting out a shaky breath to try and steady her emotions, she peeked out of the doorway and scanned the entrance hall warily.

Her ears were instantly met with the sounds of running footsteps and shouts approaching. Her eyes widened and her heart began to pound in her ears.

It was now or never.

Quickly, she made a dash for the front door, almost diving onto the doorknob to escape. She jerked it, pulling and pushing, causing the door to rattle on its hinges.

It was locked.

_No, no, no no, no._

She felt a brief flicker of rage at herself. Where was the electricity that had been there before? Why wasn't it helping her now?

_What do I do?_

The footsteps were fast approaching, and frantically Eve searched the room for another escape route until her eyes rested on the stairs. She didn't have time to pause and think, she didn't have time to consider how she would escape from the top floor. All she knew was that she would launch herself from the roof if she had to; if it meant never returning to that room again.

Moving at an almost inhuman pace, she flew across the room and sprinted up the staircase. She didn't worry about remaining silent, they would know she had escaped in a matter of seconds. All that mattered was creating as much distance between herself and her pursuers as possible. Adrenaline coursed her veins, launching her body into action and pushing her mind into working a million miles per minute.

'What happened? WHERE IS SHE?'

_Shit._

She was barely at the top of the staircase when Lucius' yells sounded from just below her. Not wasting time by looking behind her, she ignored the three more steps before her and threw herself with all the strength she could muster into the air and onto the landing.

She landed heavily, wincing as her knees burnt with the friction of her skin against the carpet, but all that mattered was that she was out of shot from any wands.

Ignoring the tightness in her chest, she rolled over, springing to her feet and continuing to run down the corridor before her, the sounds of footsteps following her up the stairs enough to find a new burst of energy.

She ran down the long corridor, thankful for the carpet that masked her footsteps, and made her way past door after door.

When she finally reached the corner, she flung herself round it and paused for a second to collect her thoughts.

_Where do I go? What do I do?_

Silently she prayed to an invisible force, pleading for the answers as to what to do next.

Yet her begging remained unanswered and another wave of panic hit her like a punch to the stomach.

'WHERE ARE YOU, YOU MUCK BLOOD?'

Eve's whole body jumped in alarm as the proximity of Lucius' voice became worryingly apparent. A strange squeak of alarm sounded from the back of her throat, and a pitiful part of her suggested she just sit down. Just sink to the floor and accept that she was to be found.

That she was to be killed.

_What's the point in running –_

A tingle.

One spark that shot up her spine was enough to jolt her away from the tiny voice and banish it from her mind.

The bead of electricity danced through her body and urged her forwards, it lifted her head and her eyes locked on the door directly in front of her.

A door she hadn't noticed before.

The second she noticed it, its rich oak colour and the regal carvings of snakes weaving between vines, her gaze was stuck.

It was as if the door was calling for her, compelling her, begging her not to walk away, not to run, but to come to it; to enter it.

A sharp spark once again ignited in her back as if pushing her forward.

_Why not?_

Moving swiftly, she closed in on the door and silently reached out and turned the door knob.

It was open.

She opened it quickly, knowing she had less than a few seconds before Lucius would see her, and slipped inside. Closing it gently behind her.

For a second she relished the silence, closing her eyes and letting out a breath of relief.

For a second she relaxed as she prepared to figure out her next step in her plan.

But that second was very quickly over when a quick movement caught her eye and she realised she wasn't alone.

'Eve?'

* * *

><p>Alina shot up bolt right, her face was covered in sweat and she let out a loud wailing noise that sounded animalistic even to her own ears.<p>

Blinking wildly, she shook her head and glared around the room to determine her surroundings.

Confusion consumed her and she frowned deeply, her fists clenched and her body tense.

'Alli...Alli!'

She jumped, startled, at the sound of his voice and turned – hand extended in preparation for a fight – to find Sirius standing cautiously in the doorway.

'W-what?' she stuttered.

'You keep falling in and out of sleep...or unconsciousness...or a trance...I don't know what it is, but you've been shouting –'

'-screaming actually'

She jumped once again in alarm as another voice sounded from behind her, and relaxed when her eyes fell on Remus.

'We have to go. Now.' She announced quickly, scanning the living room for where she had dumped her robe earlier that afternoon.

'Go? What are you talking about? Have you seen something –'

She nodded quickly at Sirius' questioning and turned to Remus.

'You've been filled in?'

'Yes...but Alli what are you talking about? What have you seen...'

'Remus, I need you to go and find Dumbledore...now' she gushed out 'it didn't work how he thought. She gained use to some of my power...she's escaped. But God, she's still there...she can't –'

'What do you mean she's still there?' Sirius demanded, crossing the room and grabbing her arms so that she turned to stare him directly in the eyes.

'I _mean _that she's in the Manor...and they're after her. God Sirius, they're after her –'

Sirius stared at her for only a second longer, which was long enough for her to see the flash of panic in his grey orbs.

'Moony – get Dumbledore. We have to go, now.' He told his friend.

Remus opened his mouth but immediately snapped it shut at the look that Sirius shot him, and with a brief nod, aparrated from the room.

'Alli...what did you see?' Sirius immediately demanded, pulling out his wand.

'The power reached her...but she couldn't keep it in. It – It blew apart the room so she could escape...but the front door was locked and she couldn't get out of the house' her chest tightened as she thought of the desperate image of her daughter she had just witnessed 'she ran upstairs...but Lucius is after her –'

'So we need to be there' he replied firmly, and she nodded in agreement.

'The others can meet us there' she added, and holding his hand tightly she spun purposely on the spot, and they disappeared from the room.

* * *

><p>Their thoughts were so combined, so perfectly entwined that they landed with complete precision and Alina didn't even experience the normal dizziness that she normal found hit her after apparition.<p>

They landed on the outskirts of the Malfoy property; any closer would have set off alarms and informed the inhabitants of their arrival.

'Let's go' Sirius whispered, his wand gripped tightly in his hand and crouching low to conceal himself using the surrounding bushes.

'Wait!' Alina hissed, reaching out and grasping his arm and causing him to turn to her expectantly.

'What is it?' he asked, his brows furrowed.

She swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat and her mouth was suddenly very dry. She was about to return to the place that she had been held captive in for the last fourteen years, delving back into a war with the same people she had fought since her school days, it was not stupidity to realise how very likely it was that at least one of them may not return alive.

'I- I –'

She quickly realised that there were no words to be said.

Their eyes connected and instantly her body burned with emotion, as if a flame had been ignited within her. Her breath caught, her heart felt as if it had dropped into her stomach and every hair on her body stood on end.

It took less than a second for her to close the gap between them; finally demolishing the wall that had been built up.

She paused for a moment just before their lips connected, one second to gaze into his eyes and finally to allow herself to say the words that plagued her every thought, her every breath and every movement.

'I love you'

She felt one of his hands wrap firmly around her waist as if terrified to ever let her go, and he brought the other up the cradle her head gently.

'I love you too' he breathed, closing the gap between their lips.

And despite knowing what she was her entire life, despite going to Hogwarts and living in a world where it was fact not fiction; for the first time she felt as if she truly understood what magic was.

When he pulled away she was breathless, the blood rushing to her head and causing her to blink to clear her vision.

'I'll always love you' he muttered, and kissed her once more softly before stepping back from her and turning to face reality.

They stared silently at the gates surrounding the Mansion in front of them, before simultaneously rushing quickly forward.

_We're here for you darling _she thought silently

_Just hang on. Just please, please hold on._

* * *

><p>'D-Draco?'<p>

The fear that had gripped her heart with its relentless clutches caused her to stutter her words, and her hand pressed firmly against her chest as if it would help calm her racing heart.

'What are you _doing _here?' he demanded, his face the very picture of confusion.

'Oh God, Draco...you've got to help me. _Please _help me'

It was almost as if with him standing before her, with someone there to ask for help, all the courage she had built up faded and all that remained was terror and desperation. She stumbled across the room towards him and his eyes widened with surprise as she threw herself into his arms and clutched onto him tightly.

'Please, please help me' she whispered over and over.

He didn't respond for a moment as the shock of her sudden appearance set in and then he grabbed her arms either side and pulled her away so that he could look at her face.

'You're okay? You're all right? What my father did...I didn't know if you –'

'-f-fine...I was okay, not at first b-but now...' she quickly told him, letting out a shaky breath.

'Draco!'

Lucius' voice ripped through the night air and burst the bubble of safety that had surrounded her the second she had found herself in Draco's company.

'My father...wait...how did you get here?' Draco frowned before his eyes widened with realisation and his hands dropped from her shoulders.

'Draco...please!' she whispered hurriedly, her hands beginning to tremble.

'DRACO!' Lucius called again, anger clear in his tone.

Draco slowly began to back away from her, his gaze shooting towards the door she had just entered through.

'_Help me' _she pleaded, her eyes burning with tears and her voice breaking weakly.

He paused at the break in her words, and stared helplessly back at her.

'Eve –'he breathed, his tone laced with reluctance.

'_Please _Draco...if I don't escape...if they keep me here Voldemort –' she broke off and shuddered as desperate tears flowed down her cheeks and the sound of Lucius' approaching footsteps grew louder.

'-The Dark Lord? Wait..._what?' _Draco asked, but didn't wait for a response 'if he's involved then I just can't help you Eve...My father...'

'He'll kill me!' she cried a little too loudly and slapped a hand over her mouth to silence herself as growing hysteria grew in her chest.

At her words a flash of emotion flickered in his eyes and her heart swelled with hope, before the light that formed in them suddenly dimmed and his expression took on one of familiar arrogance.

'I'm a _Malfoy. _We follow the wishes of the Dark Lord and if he –'

'Oh shut up Draco!' she snapped 'I'm supposed to be your friend! It's me Draco! They're going to kill me – I will die...is that what you want?' she demanded, and his mouth dropped open but he didn't reply.

'Is it? 'She pressed and he shut his mouth closed.

'DRACO!'

Fear was evident in his stormy eyes and he paused for a moment in thought before quickly shaking his head.

'You can't die' he whispered, barely audible to her ears.

'Then _help _me!' she pleaded.

Moving swiftly, he rushed over to the fireplace and took a handful of powder out of an ivory coloured pot from the side.

'Take this...quickly!' he hissed, and she ran over to him, extending her hand so that he could pour the floor powder into her palm.

'It will only work internally, trying to leave the house will alert them and they'll catch you. Go to the dining room, nobody will be there now, it has doors that open onto the terrace...you'll be able to leave that way it's the least guarded.'

'Thank you' she replied, her eyes connecting with his for a split second.

Soundlessly he lifted his hand and gently traced her cheek with his fingers.

'Be safe Draco' she whispered, before throwing the dust into the fire and stepping inside.

'The dining room' she stated clearly, and disappeared just as the sound of the bedroom door flying open reached her ears.

* * *

><p>She stumbled out of the fireplace as she landed, coughing and spluttering as ash hit the back of her throat and her eyes burnt.<p>

Floo travel clearly took some getting used to.

She wiped her eyes with her sleeves and gazed around the room feeling slightly dazed.

It was gigantic, just like everything else in the mansion, a large oak table was the centre piece of the room and large enough to seat at least fifteen people.

To her right she found the doors that opened out into the garden and let out a deep breath she was not aware that she had been holding in.

_Keep going. Not far now. Nearly there._

Energy immediately flooded to her legs as optimism set in her mind and she flew across the room to reach the doors.

'Please don't be locked' she begged out loud, and let out a relieved sigh as the door opened easily for her.

Not pausing to think she flung the door open and sprinted through, her eyes set on the gates in the distance and her heart set on freedom.

So when the ear piercing shrill sound of an alarm exploded around her and a variety of loud cracks met her ears, the ghost of a smile still traced her lips when she realised she was surrounded.

Three strange men stood before her, wands extended and identical snarls etched on their cold faces, and a woman she recognised as Draco's mother cut her off from behind.

'Going somewhere?' she asked coolly, her eyebrow raised expectantly.

'Well clearly not anymore' she replied resentfully, her heart sinking and her knees feeling weak below her.

She was done.

They would kill her now. And if not, she would be taken back to her prison.

She did not know what was worse.

She allowed her eyes to roam beyond the three men in front of her and set on the gates that surrounded the property.

_So close. I was so close._

Another resounding crack brought back her attention, and her whole body jolted violently as she was greeted by the sight of Lucius Malfoy, with his arm firmly grasping that of his son's.

Eve had to catch herself to prevent the gasp escaping her throat, and she knew for certain that the fear in her own eyes matched that of what she could see in Draco's.

'Come along Draco, it's about time you see what happens to _filth' _Lucius snarled, pulling his son forwards so that they were both standing merely a few feet away from Eve.

'I am _not _filth' she muttered.

'_What?'_ Lucius hissed, and she dropped her gaze to the floor and snapped her mouth shut.

'Answer me!' he commanded, and Eve let out a cry of shock as a sharp pain sliced down her cheek causing her to jerk her head up in alarm.

Her eyes were met by the point of Lucius' wand aimed directly at her and her hand flew to her cheek to stem the blood that had began to trickle down to her neck.

'I said I am not filth' she answered monotonously, deliberately avoiding Draco's burning gaze.

Her words were met with a cacophony of laughter, the cruel, mocking variety that left a chill down Eve's spine.

'Not filth?' one of the men barked sneeringly 'who is your mother girl? Who is your father?'

Eve remained silent, her eyes not moving from the wands trained on her, she shuffled nervously.

'A half blood and a blood traitor' Lucius spat 'you are _nothing – _Draco!' Lucius barked, his eyes glaring at her in disgust.

'Y-Yes father?' Draco stuttered, his eyes flickering over to Eve before resting on his father.

'_What _do we think of Blood Traitors?' Lucius demanded.

'They're as good as Mudbloods' Draco responded easily.

'And _what _should be done to Mudbloods?'

Draco paused for a second; hesitating on the answer he had never before contemplated questioning.

'Well?'

'They should be killed, Father' he stated plainly, causing Eve to shiver despite her best efforts to remain stoic.

She felt like crying, like screaming and both crumpling to the floor in defeat or sprinting desperately in an attempt to escape, but she knew it was no use.

_Somebody help me._

Eve could not prevent the desperate plea running through her mind despite being aware that there was no one there to help her.

Draco had done all he could for her, but ultimately he was his father's son; he was a Malfoy. And she did not expect anything more from him; he had already risked enough for her...more than she had ever expected that he would.

'I think it's about time you had your first taste at an Unforgiveable, Draco' Lucius sneered coldly, pulling his son forward 'With the return of the Dark Lord, it is only a matter of time before you will be required to do so regularly...let us call this _preparation'_

'Lucius, I do not think –' Narcissa spoke for the first time, her disapproval over her husband's command apparent in both her tone and expression.

'- Narcissa, he is no longer a child to be coddled' Lucius snapped harshly, ignoring his wife and turning back to Draco.

'You know the word Draco, remember she is vermin, she deserves the pain...she is _filth' _his tongue almost caressed the words 'all you have to do is mean it'

'Father...the – the Cruciatus?' Draco's voice was unnaturally high, and he cleared his throat to disguise his horror.

'Come, Draco! Time to be a man!' one of the men called out, his face twisted into a sadistic grin.

Slowly, painfully slowly, Draco raised his wand until it was directed straight at her chest. His face was ash white and his expression strangely blank, almost as if he were no longer present in reality; as if he had blocked what was happening from his mind.

His eyes settled just past her face and she understood his unwillingness to look at her, to watch her fear and the agony that would soon mask it.

_Please no, please to God, do not do this Draco_

Her thoughts were futile, she watched as he licked his chapped lips before opening them and forming the word.

'Cru-'

* * *

><p>They met no resistance when they entered the grounds of the mansion, it seemed eerily quiet, and the silence did nothing to settle the web of panic that had been spun in Sirius and Alina's stomachs.<p>

Within seconds, they were at the front door of the colossal house.

'It's locked' Alina muttered quietly and Sirius nodded mutely, signalling for her silence and flicking his wand quickly.

The door remained closed and Sirius frowned with annoyance.

Clearly a simple alohamora wasn't going to work.

Alina clenched her fists with frustration and had to hold in a cry of irritation as after the fifth try neither of them were able to open the door.

'Protection is too good here...' Sirius whispered, running a hand through his hair as he sought for another way to enter the Mansion.

'What about the windows? Is there any way we could...'

Sirius spoke quietly, his words flowing quickly as he spoke with urgency, but they gradually grew more and more distant as they faded away.

A wave of dizziness came over her and she sucked in a deep breath to steady herself.

'Alli?'

She heard Sirius call her, but his voice sounded so far away and all she could react to was the sudden sensation of magic flooding through her entire body.

Her hairs sparked on end, her heart raced with the electric exhilaration and this time, the pleasant tingle had developed into an intense buzzing that vibrated almost painfully through her veins.

Her whole body was consumed with the sensation, and as it jolted, as it lurched within her, she could not stop her entire body following the lead.

'Somebody help me'

Alina gasped at the sound of a ghostly voice. It wasn't that she could hear it through her ears or even in her mind, it was as if the words erupted from her heart and extended through her entire body caressing her every fibre.

'Sirius!' she blurted out, her voice sounding strangely loud amongst her web of electricity.

'Alli?'

'We have to go. Go to...' she didn't know where they had to go, she knew that the magical link between herself and her daughter would lead them.

'Where? What are you talking about –'

'She's in trouble'

Alina didn't pause to explain any further, instead she embraced the strength of the magic and allowed it to direct her body, she let the magic tingle through her fingers and extend just a little beyond them so it could lead her way.

Moving at an inhuman speed, she ran with the feeling, ignoring the Mansion all together and instead running around the perimeter, through the grounds of the property.

The quicker she moved, the stronger the vibrations grew in her veins; she was getting closer.

_Faster, just a bit faster._

Every step she took her mind urged her body to increase in speed, she could not risk being too late.

Just the thought of not getting to her daughter in time sickened her to her stomach.

She could not explain it but she knew without doubt that they were close, her body was almost overwhelmed by the power that consumed it, and she used the feeling to push herself further.

'She's round that corner!' she called back to Sirius, and paused when she reached the edge of the house.

'Alli...wha-' Sirius whispered when he reached her, but Alina clamped her hand to his mouth to silence him.

'Shh' she whispered, and closed her eyes in concentration.

She reigned in a slither of her magic, reeling it into her mind. She focused on the thought of her daughter, and the space around the corner of the house.

Letting out a deep breath she pushed outwards with her mind, feeling the tingle extend from her and out into the air beyond her.

She paused for a moment, before the familiar sensation of her mind's strength returned to her.

She saw a flash of four men, a woman and a teenage boy.

_Surrounding my girl._

The image brought up an all-consuming tidal wave of rage through her body, burning through her veins and sending sizzling sparks to her finger tips amongst the tingle of her power.

The need to release the magic was growing unbelievable strong, and she reached out to grab Sirius' hand.

When their skin connected she felt a jolt as the electricity flowed instantly from her fingertips and into his.

He gasped in surprise, his eyes widening in confusion.

'It belongs to you too' she told him seriously 'it will help'

'Where is she?' Sirius asked quickly, somehow completely understanding that she had shared her power with him, that it now flowed through his veins too.

'Round the corner...there's three Death Eaters, and then Lucius, Narcissa, and I'm guessing their son – so what's the plan? She asked him quickly, to which he quirked an eyebrow at her.

'Is there ever a plan? He grinned cockily, and her heart panged as she recognised the flash of a teenage Sirius.

She smirked back at him and chuckled lowly.

'Silly of me to ask really – let's go'

They didn't pause for any sentiments, they had taken care of those previously, there was no hesitation as they sprinted around the corner, wands extended.

They weren't noticed straight away, the attention was entirely focused on the girl in the centre of the circle.

'Cru –'

She heard the words form on the boys lips and she felt the instant combination of her own and Sirius' fury hitting them simultaneously at what was about to happen.

Alina forgot about the wand in her hand, and threw out an arm in a sweeping motion as she focused on one of the men surrounding her daughter.

She was met with a yell of shock as the man was launched off his feet and thrown to the floor five feet away from where he had been standing.

_STAY DOWN _her mind screamed with authority as she felt him trying to fight against her hold on him.

He wasn't strong, his mind was not trained and she was met with no further resistance.

The second she attacked the Death Eater his comrades had turned to attack, and with relief Alina saw that Sirius had disarmed the young teenager who had been about to attack their daughter.

A sudden beam of ugly red light shot past her face and she dived to the side, cursing herself for her slow reaction.

Glancing to the side she saw Sirius darting and dodging the curses being thrown at him, his face set with determination and a daring glint in his eyes as he threw curse after curse back at them.

'Cruc –' she heard the word being uttered and turned to glare at the hefty man that had his wand pointed directly at her.

'PROTEGO' she shouted, blocking the attack.

Quickly, she imagined the sensation of the Cruciatus curse, she remembered the way it burned every atom of her body, the way it bent and tore at her bones and crushed her organs, and then she smirked as she pushed the memory outwards.

She sent it hurtling directly at the man before her, and laughed harshly at the sound of the man's screams as he lived out the sensation of her memories.

As soon as he hit the floor, as he dropped to his knees in agony, he was no longer in her mind; no longer a concern.

She glanced up and saw Sirius duelling madly with Narcissa, and turned to focus on where her daughter was.

Alina had to stifle to shout of horror as she turned to find her daughter held roughly around the neck by Lucius Malfoy, whose wand was pressing sharply into the side of her neck.

His face burned with contempt and he smirked mockingly at her, his eyes slits of cruelty.

'Hello, Alina' he greeted her, his voice laced with smugness.

The very sound of his voice sent chills down her spine, and she shivered unwillingly.

But the proximity to her daughter, the protectiveness she felt, caused the vibrations that flooded through her to become alarmingly intense. They ached, and strained within her to reach out towards her child.

'Get away from her' she growled, the anger in her voice consuming the space between them.

Her command was met with the cold laughter that haunted her dreams and she flinched as the sound grated against her ears.

'That's not going to happen...Alina' his voice caressed her name, wrapping it delicately in venom.

Her eyes flickered from Lucius and were immediately stuck, utterly transfixed on her daughter's face.

It was the first time she could see it properly, without it being a flash of memory that appeared in the back of her mind, and she was completely compelled.

Her face was almost identical to her own, even she herself could recognise the similarities; the same hair, the shape of her nose and the curve of her lips.

But those eyes, the stormy grey eyes that despite her fear were flashing with defiance belonged entirely to Sirius.

It was the way that she was trying to mask the fear that had a hold on her that broke Alina's heart and made the intensity of the protectiveness she felt even stronger.

Their eyes were locked and Alina tried to tell her everything she was feeling silently.

_Don't worry. It's going to be fine. I will get you out of here._

A flash of something that Alina couldn't quite place shot through the girls eyes, indicating that she seemed to understand.

A shout from behind them alerted Alina to the fact that Sirius was still fighting with Narcissa and she had to deal with Lucius alone.

_I can manage _she told herself, a wave of confidence sweeping through her.

'Then I'm going to make you' she replied simply.

'Move...and I will kill her' Lucius warned, pressing the wand deeper into her daughter's neck.

'Let. Go. Of. My. Daughter' she hissed dangerously.

As soon as the word 'daughter' slipped from her lips an entirely consuming wave of power surged through her.

She remembered the pain of the birth, she remembered the protection she gave her baby throughout the pregnancy and she remembered the way they had lied to her, manipulated her into believing they had killed her little girl.

Something snapped within her.

Alina forgot about holding back, she forgot about the dangers of unleashing her power and how it could injure her.

She didn't feel any pain, her mind didn't even acknowledge the strain of controlling her magic, she just threw it from her with as much strength as she could muster.

It felt as if a volcano was erupting within her, the electricity that lived within her shot from her body instantaneously and hurtled directly at the man threatening her daughter.

'ALINA!'

Sirius' cry alarmed her, but the power surging through her veins prevented her from reacting.

Her arms flew open as the power left her, leaving her utterly and completely empty. Her knees buckled, but she stumbled forward to stop herself from falling; her eyes still set on Lucius.

He had no time to react, to defend or even attack. His eyes lost their cruel edge and instead widened with utter terror. The air around them seemed to vibrate with unleashed power and the world seemed to freeze in anticipation.

The second it connected with Lucius, a piercing screech erupted from the man's lungs. His face turned a deathly white as if the life had been sucked from his being, his grip dropped from her daughter's neck and he was torn backwards. He fell to the floor and his body began to jerk violently, his body shooting backwards as if an invisible force were dragging him and he was crying out as he twitched and shook in sharp movements.

The louder his yells grew, the weaker she felt herself, and despite her best efforts her legs crumbled beneath her and she fell to her knees.

She reached out and threw her arms to the floor to prevent herself from falling any further, and a strong pair of arms gripped around her shoulders.

Her body froze, and her mind told her that she should fight, that she should protect herself, but she no longer had the strength for resistance.

'It's just me –'

_Sirius._

Her whole body seemed to sigh at the sound of her voice, and the world around her began to dim.

'Get – her – _our_ girl' she told him breathlessly, her voice weak as a dull thumping sounded in her ears.

'She's okay...she's all right' his voice was thick with emotion 'she's safe.'

Alina forced her eyes to focus as Sirius pulled her to his chest and she stared intently upward, her searching blue eyes finally meeting two pairs of identical grey orbs.

'You're my mother' a girl's voice whispered from above her.

She opened her mouth to reply, but speaking was no longer an ability she possessed.

Instead she settled with a weak smile forming on her lips.

Just as everything went black.

**A/N: So this is definately the longest chapter of the story so far, I really hope it didn't drag on too much and that you enjoyed it! So Eve's been found! Is Alina all right? And what's going to happen next?**

**Thank you so much for all your reviews I really do appreciate them all and they are what got me to get this chapter done as quickly as possible!**

**Please keep them coming, your reviews mean everything to me!**

**And i'm so glad that I still have you readers here!**

**xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12:**

**She was sitting in Dumbledore's study, her feet resting on the desk in front of her which was causing the portraits that surrounded the room to titter at her disrespect.**

'**Can she hear us?' one of the older portraits, a stout man with a rather impressive moustache stage whispered across the room.**

_**Yes I can! **_**Alina opened her mouth to reply indignantly, but no sound came out.**

**Her hand flew to her throat in surprise and she tried to speak again...**

_**Hello?**_

**Once again nothing happened.**

'**Nope, she's not showing any signs of a response' another portrait replied sadly, shaking his balding head as he stared sympathetically down at her.**

'**She's desperate to see her...'**

'**You know Dumbledore said that could be dangerous. We have no idea what the effects could be with her in this state'**

_**Can you stop talking about me like I'm not here! **_

**She attempted to snap at the gossiping portraits, but nothing happened.**

**Angrily, she tried to scream and the lack of sound only irritated her further. It didn't help how ridiculously hot it was in the study.**

'**Why's she doing that? What's wrong with her?' a rather young man called in alarm, pointing straight at her.**

_**Sod this **_**she thought, jumping out of her seat and storming through the office to the door.**

**She wasn't going to sit around listening to them talking about her, it was a load of jibberish anyway!**

**She went to open the door and screamed – or attempted to – as the door knob scolded her hand leaving a red burn.**

**The room was growing hotter and hotter, and she removed her robe, wiping her forehead which was drenched with sweat.**

**A loud squawk from behind her alerted her of Fawkes' presence and she turned in relief.**

_**Fawkes, help me! I'm burning in here...**_

**As she tried to reach out to the Phoenix with her mind a sudden and agonizing pain shot through her skull and she flinched with shock.**

**Simultaneously, Fawkes let out another loud squawk and erupted into flames, increasing the scorching heat of the room even further.**

'**Hold her down, she's having a fit!'**

_**No I'm not! **_**She tried to yell **_**If you'd just turn the heat down!**_

**The heat was growing unbearable, her clothes were soaked through and clinging to her skin, her skin was drenched with sweat and her head was in excruciating pain.**

'**She's going to be okay though, right? She's not going to – to – ' a hysterical outburst that sounded strangely like Sirius called across the room, and she looked up in desperation.**

_**Help**_** she begged silently, clutching her head to try and stem the pain.**

'**Sirius I don't know –' a defeated voice responded.**

'**She – She has to be! Alli, wake up!'**

_**Wake up? What did he mean? I am awake! **_**She thought in confusion trying to tear her soaking clothes off of her body to relieve herself from the intolerable heat.**

'**I just got her back!' he cried 'And we just got our daughter –'**

_**Our daughter...my daughter.**_

**All of a sudden the previous events shot back to her, what was she doing in Dumbledore's office? Nothing made sense. Where was she? Where was Sirius? **

'**WHERE'S MY DAUGHTER!'**

**The words yelled from her lungs, causing all of the Portraits to stop their panicking and turn to stare at her.**

'**Alli? ALLI?'**

* * *

><p>White light.<p>

Startling white light suddenly attacked her eyes as she squinted them open.

'Not...white' she whispered 'please not white!'

'What did she say?'

'I'm not sure, something about white?'

'White? Are you sure?'

Her eyes managed to make out the blurred outline of Sirius and a tight squeeze of her hand alerted her of their entwined fingers. Gradually, the brightness of the room faded away from sheer white in her eyes and his figure became clearer making the concern plastered on his face blatantly obvious.

She attempted to squeeze his hand back reassuringly but her grip was shamefully weak, causing the slight twitch of her fingers to leave her in a worrying spell of dizziness.

She blinked, causing a spell of darkness to entomb her and sending a vibe of fear through her body, her eye lids were heavy and with each blink they fought to remain closed.

It was only Sirius' frantically moving lips, forming words of urgency that her brain was not allowing her to process that kept her fighting against the urge to close them once again.

In frustration she tossed her body, causing a painful ache to shoot from her thighs to her ribcage, but succeeded in helping her to slightly free herself from the sheets that clung to her sweating body.

_Why is it so hot?_

Even through the haze that surrounded her sight, she saw the worried glance that Sirius threw up at some unknown spectator standing above her.

'Hot' she managed to grumble, her voice far quieter than she had intended.

She blinked harder, trying to focus as Sirius turned once again speak to somebody standing too far away for her eyes to reach.

_Who was there?_

_Was it her daughter?_

Her heart exploded in a fit of battery against her ribcage as the thought of her daughter sprang to the forefront of her mind.

With a force that far exceeded will power, she forced her dry lips to part and with a cracked voice pushed the words out.

'Where – is – she?'

'Shh, rest' a calming voice sounded from somewhere above her, ignoring the question she had posed.

But Alina didn't want rest; she wanted her daughter.

_And why is it so fucking hot!_

She was unsure of whether it was something in her expression, or perhaps the strangled cry that erupted from the back of the throat, but whatever it was alerted Sirius of the anger and frustration that was pulsing through her veins. He was instantly beside her, his free hand brushing the wet hair away from her forehead and his voice finally reaching her ears in a smooth, musical tone.

'Calm down, Alli' he told her 'calm down.'

The second Sirius' fingers connected with her burning skin a faint current past through his fingertips and seeped into her cheeks, the slight tingle trickled delicately into her mind, cleansing her body with a ripple of coolness and evaporating the excruciating heat.

Unconsciously, she let out a light sigh and silently thanked God for the return of the magic she had sent to Sirius earlier.

Sirius jerked his hand away from her and let out a startled cry as the shock of the electric current shot from his fingers.

'Thank you' she croaked quietly, causing Sirius to frown in confusion before shrugging nonchalantly and throwing her a lopsided smile.

'That's all right' he grinned, and then stared at her intently, as if preparing to force honesty from her eyes before he posed his next question.

'How are you feeling?'

'Fine' she shot back instantly, ignoring the wobble of her arms as she tried to prove her answer by pulling herself up into a seated position.

Sirius made no move to prevent her movement, but merely raised a disbelieving eyebrow and she sunk back into the pillow in defeat.

'Not too great' she shrugged 'my head-'

'-should get better with some time, and after you have taken some of this' a motherly voice interrupted, and Alina looked up to be met with the sight of Molly Weasley moving swiftly towards her.

Alina crinkled her nose in disgust at the sight of the thick grey potion that Molly was holding out towards her lips, and attempted to jolt away from her which sadly only led to a wav e of pain shooting through her head.

'Come on' Sirius encouraged lightly 'you've drunk worse than that in the Hog's Head'

The faint trail of amusement was impossible for Sirius to disguise and Alina scowled, before sighing in defeat and opening her mouth for the potion.

She gulped it down in one, and gagged instantly as her stomach refused to accept the nauseating substance.

Hearing the signs of vomit, Sirius bolted out of the way and stood at the edge of the room until Alina's heaving finished.

'It's charmed to prevent the drinker from projecting it back up' Molly informed her lightly, but Alina's attention was focused on throwing Sirius dagger glares.

'Thanks for your support, _darling'_ she hissed sarcastically, to which he grinned back in response.

'I'm supporting you, _dear!_ Just from over here...and out of the splash zone...'

Biting back a spiteful comment, Alina begrudgingly admitted to herself that although the pain in her skull remained thumping relentlessly, her body felt stronger and she was able to tentatively sit herself up.

Moving her head in a slow, deliberate motion so as to not provoke the pains she gazed around and placed herself in a makeshift bed in the centre of the living room.

Unable to prevent herself, a cold shiver ran through her body and she had to force away the distant memory that conjured itself before her eyes.

_Back on the night that Benjy had died..._

_When her friends had been ambushed and she had had to sit in the living room and wait._

_And once they had returned, place them one by one on beds such as the one she was lying on...and tend to their injuries._

_That night Sirius had been so weak..._

'Sirius' she blurted, forcing the image of a shell shaken Sirius from her mind.

'Yes?' he asked, crossing the room again so that he was beside her.

'Please tell me she's all right?' her voice was soft, but laced with determination as she braced herself for the worst.

She kept her eyes steadily locked on his own and stuck out her chin in defiance as she waited for the sadness and regret to cloud his expression.

She had grown used to bad news.

During the war it seemed that all she did was wait for more and more terrible things to occur until eventually her ability to hear the worst practically became a talent.

So when the haunted shadows of Azkaban suddenly cleared from his eyes as they lit up in a way that showed a glimpse of the handsome boy she had fallen in love with she was barely able to register an emotion.

For a second she remained an empty capsule, without a shred of feeling flowing through her veins.

But gradually, as the light in his eyes shot beams of its rays into hers and his broad grin infectiously caused her lips to twist a burst of an emotion she was positive she had never before experienced exploded in her chest.

She gasped out loud, the cry breaking from her lips before her mind even registered the sound as her own. The tears fell from her eyes and the laughter bubbled from her chest as the happiness and disbelief radiated within her body.

'She's fine...in fact she's better than fine, she's amazing' Sirius' eyes sparkled and his voice slightly cracked with emotion.

Her mind faintly acknowledged the faint click of the door closing as Molly left them in privacy, but at that moment she did not care who was present to hear their joy. If she could she was stand on the roof of Grimmauld Place and announce it to the world.

_My daughter is alive._

_Alive!_

'Where is she?' she whispered, as if she were sharing an incredibly special secret with Sirius.

'In our room, she's sleeping at the moment' he replied, and Alina scolded internally scolded her childishness as her heart skipped when he referred to his room as 'theirs.'

'-I waited with her whilst Dumbledore performed some healing charms on her...she was in a bad way' his voice darkened and his expression to match as he continued speaking and Alina felt a burst of rage ignite in her chest.

She didn't need him to continue with the details, she had a perfectly good idea of what they had done to her daughter for she had experienced it herself first hand.

_I'll make them pay for it._

Her thoughts were dark, and she fully intended revenge for what she and her family had suffered because of their cruelty. But at that moment all Alina cared about was the proximity of her daughter.

'I want to see her' she glared at Sirius, daring him to try and prevent her.

She watched his eyes scan her frame, before settling on her face with an expression of uncertainty and matched his gaze with one of sheer determination.

'And just to be clear, I was not asking for your permission' she spoke quietly but firmly.

'Alli...I just think you should rest for a bit –'

'And that's exactly why you shouldn't _'just think'_' she snapped, and attempted to swing her legs out of the bed.

'Fuck' she hissed, and sucked in a sharp intake of breath as a wave of pain burst through her skull in response to her movement.

Sirius' arms were around her instantly to support her and she paused for a second to allow her body to grow accustomed to the completely upright position.

'Either you help me, or eventually I will drag myself to her' she informed him through gritted teeth.

If she had not been experiencing such excruciating pain at that moment, she would have smirked in triumph at the sound of his sigh of defeat.

'Thirty years of defying any authoritative figure I come across and I manage to fall for the female version of Grindelwald...' Sirius muttered darkly and Alina snorted in indignation.

His arm wrapped around her nevertheless and pulling her tightly into the crease of his shoulder he kept a firm grasp on her as he helped her to her feet.

'You okay?' he whispered, his breath warm on her cheek, to which she nodded bleakly in response, her eyebrows furrowed.

'Let's go and see our girl' he added, and Alina felt a smile light up her face as the words sent chills down her spine.

'Let's go and see our girl' she repeated quietly, the words feeling magnificent on her tongue.

* * *

><p>The door cracked open slowly, the low creak only increasing the nerves bubbling in the pit of her stomach.<p>

Sirius edged them both in, stepping hesitantly.

'Any slower and we'll be going backwards Sirius' Alina grumbled, slightly impatient.

'I don't want to disturb her' he muttered back, indicating at the sleeping figure before them.

A few more steps, still at a painfully slow pace, and Alina felt her knees wobble as the sleeping face of her daughter could be seen.

Wordlessly she gazed at the girl's face, her eyes flickering over every freckle, absorbing every shade of colour in her hair and pondering over the slight frown that clouded her expression.

_My hair._

_My nose._

Silently she urged for the eyes to open.

Eyes that she knew would be the spitting image of her fathers'.

'So beautiful' Sirius murmured the words so softly they seemed to float out into the air and were almost inaudible in the vast space.

Alina bit her cheek, trying to force herself to contain the tears that were threatening to spill from beneath her eyelids.

'She – she's perfect' she whispered plainly.

She felt Sirius gently tug her hand, manoeuvring her into the chair placed by their daughter's bedside.

She kept her eyes trained on her daughter, terrified of even blinking in case she disappeared, and recognised the faint relief of her body as she sunk into the seat.

She was tired and her body was aching, but she could not imagine ever sleeping again. She could not imagine ever allowing the girl before her out of her sight.

'I _will _keep her safe' she spoke mostly to herself.

'_We _will keep her safe' Sirius corrected her, his voice filled with equal determination.

A small moan instantly caught their attention and the slight movement that followed had both Alina and Sirius holding their breath.

Alina leaned forward, her eyes burning in to the closed eyelids of her daughter, biting her lip in anticipation.

Another low groan sounded from the back of the girl's throat, and the eyelids began to flicker slightly.

'I think she's –'

'-Shhh' Alina hushed him, terrified that any noise could prevent the awakening of the girl.

Before her brain even registered what she was doing, she had extended her hand outwards. It was shaking violently, her entire body overcome with nerves and emotions, but she did not prevent herself from gently enclosing her daughter's palm in her own.

The second their flesh connected Alina let out a gasp as a warmth flowed through her daughter and into her own palms, spreading up her arms and seeping throughout her body.

The heat calmed her fragile emotions, leaving a sense of comfort in the place of her nerves.

_This is right _she realised, causing her mouth to curve into an ecstatic smile.

_This is where we're supposed to be._

She let out a deep sigh of relief and instantly froze as her daughter did exactly the same, an expression of contentment replacing the previous agitation that had clouded the girl's face.

_She can feel it too._

A firm hand on her shoulder connected her to Sirius and Alina was unsure whether she wanted to laugh or cry with glee at the realisation that they were all together.

Connected as one.

As a family.

Alina was unsure whether it was pure instinct, whether there was a greater force directing her or whether it was luck but something within her seemed to tell her what to do.

It was as if a hand was extending outwards from deep within her soul, aching to clasp the invisible palm of her daughter.

Forgetting about the dull ache in her head she gazed down at the teenager, whose eyes were still flickering as if unsure whether too fully open, and she silently urged her with her mind.

_It's okay, open your eyes _

Even in her mind, the worlds were caressed with happiness and love.

_You're safe, open your eyes._

She did not feel the expected pain that would normally follow the use of her powers after she had exerted herself so fully.

She was unsure whether she even consciously pushed the words from her mind.

But she knew that her daughter had heard them.

_Open your eyes darling._

Alina blinked in surprise as the unexpected voice echoed through her mind, both foreign and entirely familiar.

In their proximity, in their bonding emotions, somehow Sirius' thoughts, Sirius' pleas, were travelling through her and into their daughter.

Never, not in all of the years and everything that they had endured together, had Alina felt so entirely connected to Sirius Black.

The silence was deafening in the room as the eyes finally shot open, sending a simultaneous bolt of energy through Alina's palm, and Alina found herself finally staring directly into the eyes of her daughter.

A split second passed, the grey orbs dazed and confused, before the pupils focused...and widened...and fear clouded them entirely.

As the terror registered on her face, her body reacted instantaneously; she threw herself forwards, her whole body scrambling to escape from the bed that she was in and a mixture between a scream and a gasp choked from her throat.

'WOAH!' Sirius cried in alarm, jumping sideways to block the route of escape she was aiming for and his arms outstretched in an attempt to plea with her 'It's okay!' he told her.

The darkness in her eyes indicated that her fear had transformed into anger, and her eyes narrowed in preparation for whatever attack was to come.

Alina stayed silent for a moment. Her heart raced erratically, but a twinkle remained in her eyes at the familiar expression that she was witnessing on the girl's face.

It was an expression she had seen many times.

One of resistance, rebellion and stubbornness.

It was strange seeing it painted on the face of her daughter rather than Sirius.

'Calm down' she finally spoke, her voice soft and her mind projecting calming vibes towards the girl 'we are not going to hurt you.'

The girl quickly glanced at her, her body only slightly relaxing as a result of the vibes Alina had sent.

The glance, however, turned into a double take, and then into an outright stare.

'It – it's you!' the girl gasped in recognition, her fists uncurling 'you were there...you escaped! And then you – you'

She turned to Sirius as her memory returned and frowned as she studied his face.

'You were both there?' she questioned, as if trying to confirm her thoughts.

Silently, Sirius nodded, taking two steps slowly towards her.

'We got you away from there...we won't ever let them hurt you again' he told her.

'Last night – you said you were –'her voice grew more urgent as her head span back towards Alina '_you _said you were my – my –'

'Your mum' Alina's voice came out far softer than she intended, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke.

'My –'the girl's face crumpled with emotion, and she sat backwards onto the bed, holding her head into her hands.

'And you?' she asked, her voice cracking as she slowly looked up towards Sirius.

'I'm your dad' he replied, emotion thick in his throat.

'My dad' she whispered to herself.

Sirius walked carefully towards her, moving gently so as not to alarm her, and then knelt down on the wooden floor before her.

'I know you're confused, but you don't need to know everything yet, you need to rest.' He told her softly 'you've been through a lot...'

She nodded wordlessly in response.

'Did they...what did they...' Sirius' face twisted into a frown as he pondered over how to word his question 'h-have you got a name?'

She raised her head to stare into his eyes, her own eclipsed with a sadness that broke Sirius' heart to see.

'Eversor' her haunted voice sent chills down his spine 'they called me Eversor'

**A/N: Okay, so firstly I am really not impressed with this chapter so I apologise! I tried to shorten it so I could have more happen but it just wasn't working, I know it's a bit boring so I promise it will improve from here.**

**Now, this is where I need your thoughts and opinions because I need to know what page you are all on...**

**Basically, i've been asked whether this story will partly be from Eve's point of you and explore her life and relationships as well. I want to know what you would all like? Do you want to read about Eve as well or would you prefer to just stay from Alina and Sirius' point of view? It's entirely up to what I hear back from you all and i'll obviously do what the majority would like!**

**I was unsure myself and don't want to disappoint my readers so please tell me what you would prefer!**

**Thank you all so much for your reviews, you really are the best!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13:**

The second that Alina's hand had connected with her daughter's it felt as if a gust of wind had conjured within her and blown its gusts throughout her body. It seemed to awaken something within her that she had not known exsited. The weakness that had engulfed her since she had been at the Malfoy Manor evaporated and been replaced by sheer power. It was as if her magic was dancing through her veins, crackling against her skin causing her hairs to stick on end. She could feel the magic trickling and bubbling towards the area their skin connected and rather than stopping it continued to run it's course into her daughters body. At the same time she felt the strange sensation of her daughter's magic crackling at her own finger tips, seeping into her body and prancing through her. It explored every inch of her body as if it were memorizing her to the very core, and Alina let out a sigh as a warm tingle spread through her body.

_My power recognises you._

It was as if her magic was giving a leap of joy as it was finally discovering it's own creation. Alina felt as if every nerve in her body were ten times more sensitive than before, as if her entire soul had awoken from a deep slumber.

_I made you_ she sighed inwardly _our powers are one._

* * *

><p>Eve's body had erupted in warmth; a warmth that started from the fingers that connected with her mothers and spread through her entire body.<p>

Her skin buzzed and hairs stood on end at the sensation, and her heart thumped wildy as adrenaline corsed through her veins.

'Why do they call you eversor?' Sirius asked her.

The second he spoke the tingling in her body disappeared and a block of ice dropped into her stomach, she looked at him fearfully, dreading the reaction her parents would give her when they discovered the reason. She could tell by one look in their eyes, the love and kindness refkecting from them, how they had fought against the people who had held her captive – they would never understand.

The could not possibly understand the things she had done, the atrocities she had committed.

Alina must have seen something in her eyes, or sensed her hesitation to respond, and Eve felt a squeeze on her hand.

'You don't have to be afraid' she told her.

'I'm not scared of you' she whispered, her eyes flickering from her mother to her father. She held her father's gaze firmly, showing him her determination to remain strong and her eyes widened in surprise as he smiled approvingly back at her.

'There are different types of fear…Eversor' he used her name hesitantly and immediately registered the girl wince at the word and mentally reminded himself to not speak it again 'you might not fear us. But you need to know you don't have to fear our judgement either.'

Alina raised her eyebrows at his words and turned to face Sirius, wondering at what point it was that he had gotten so wise? Was it after he had lost James? After he lost her? After he lost everything…

'One thing that we don't do is judge people he smiled wryly, keeping his daughters steady gaze

Eve paused, staring deeply into his eyes as if searching for something.

It was an intensity that he had only ever experienced from one person before; her grey eyes delved into his own as if piercing the very fabric of his soul causing him to suck in a deep breath.

The power radiating from her gaze was remnant of her mother.

_Just like Alina_.

It seemed as if Eve found what she was searching for, and with a shaky breath and a hesitant glance at the woman whose hand still softly cradled her own, her lips opened and formed barely a whisper.

'The destroyer'

A cold chill shot through Alina as she heard the name, the words triggering a faint memory.

One in which she wore a cloak with a hood pulled up to cover her face.

Where she stood outside under the nights sky.

Where her entire body responded to the wishes of Lucius Malfoy…

'Well, unusual names seem to be a family trait' Sirius remarked lightly, removing the awkwardness that had built in the room and cocked an eyebrow 'unless you'd like me to fetch the constellation map…I'm sure there's a star on there somewhere that could provide a far more unusual –'

'-what and end up with a silly name like _Sirius!' _Alina scoffed breaking away from her memory, and causing Sirius to raise his eyebrows in a mixture of amusement and outrage.

'How _dare _you mock the house of Black and the honourable traditions it upholds' he retorted snottily, sounding remarkably Slytherin.

Eve didn't quite know what to make of them, her parensts, watching the man and woman bicker whilst their eyes simultaneously remained bright with affection.

However a word he had spoken triggered something in her mind.

'Black?' she questioned, and watched as the man…her father…turned to her in surprise.

'I've heard that name…' she studied his face intently 'Draco spoke of you…he said you had escaped from –' she stopped mid sentence and bit her lip in hesitance.

Silently she cursed herself for opening her big fat mouth.

_Well done, Eve. Just accuse your father of being a Murderer…_

She winced and braced herself for the sharp blow, the pain of a curse hitting her for speaking so freely…but nothing came.

Instead she felt a rough hand gently cupping her cheek, she flinched in surprise at the contact, but allowed the hand to raise her chin so that she was once again looking up.

She found his silvery-grey eyes in her path and met them reluctantly.

'I told you, you have nothing to fear' he told her again, his eyes clouded with sadness.

'I'm not scared' she repeated, her voice betraying her as it shook as she spoke.

'And yes' he continued after a brief pause 'I was in Azkaban…but I can assure you I was innocent. I shouldn't have been imprisoned'

'Something that we all have in common' she commented wryly, a small smile twitching on her lips.

A short silence followed her statement, and she took the time to study each of her parents' faces.

Her parents…

The whole ordeal seemed surreal. She had dreamed, fantisized her entire life for this moment, and now that it was here she felt completely overwhelmed.

On first impression it was clear that her father had suffered a difficult life. His skin was the sallow complexion of someone who had been deprived of daylight…a colour that her own had not quite reached. His hair, although cut into a style, was slightly lank as if the colour had rinsed from it and left it lifeless. But his eyes shone brightly, a deep stormy grey that radiated intellect.

It was clear that he had the potential to be handsome, in fact on closer inspection it was clear that in his youth he most definitely was attractive, but it seemed that the years had worn him harshly.

Her eyes moved to her mother. In stark contrast to the man beside her, it was her mother's beauty that struck her immediately.

Her eyes were a strikingly bright blue, and seemed to gaze straight into her own as if they were searching deep into her soul. A small button nose that was almost a duplicate of her own and high cheekbones were framed by a thick tussle of blonde hair.

Yes, she is beautiful. She told herself.

But her eyes, despite their shocking brightness, were clouded with hidden ghosts.

She was extremely thin, making her frame extremely child like and vulnerable.

She had to supress a snort at the thought; from what she had witnessed of her mother she was anything but vulnerable.

Power exuded from her very pores. She could sense it the moment she had connected with her by touch.

'I won't ever let them imprison you again'

Her thoughts were broken as her mother spoke.

Supressed anger laced her tone, and she blinked as she noticed her mother's eyes darken as if a shadow had passed over them.

Alina obviously must have seen the look of concern in her daughter's eyes and immediately her gaze softened and a gentle smile lit up her face.

'You're safe now' she told her.

Something welled up inside Eve's chest. It bubbled within her, and as she tried to respond she felt a choking sensation in her throat. Emotions flooded through her so quickly and suddenly that she barely had time to register let alone recognise them.

'I- I –' but she didn't know what to say.

She was _safe_.

Lucius could not hurt her again, he could not force her to do anything she didn't want to do…he couldn't make her hurt people.

And she was with her parents.

Her _family_

She was no longer the _destroyer_. No longer _Eversor._

She was a daughter.

She looked up, meeting her mother's eyes first and then her father's.

She held his steady gaze without wavering.

'Eve' she spoke the words softly, forcing away the image of Draco's face that her mind had conjured up as she mentioned the name.

Sirius frowned questioningly as a wide toothy grin slowly spread across her lips.

'Eve' she repeated 'my name is Eve.'

His face remained blank for a moment, before an equally wide wolfish grin graced his face that seemed to illuminate his hidden good looks.

Alina blinked in surprise as she glanced from Sirius to her daughter.

Both met each other with identical gazes, and both faces stretched into identical grins.

She couldn't fight back the content smile that curved her own lips upwards as her eyes soaked in her family.

Her Sirius.

And her daughter.

Her…Eve.

Unusual, yes. But unusual seemed to be the most prominent trait in this family.

* * *

><p>Eve's eyes were heavy, but stubbornly she blinked hard to clear her blurring vision. She refused sleep to take its hold on her, to lure her away from the family she had finally been united with.<p>

She felt her head drop slightly as sleep battled against her, but she pinched her arm quickly and sat herself further up to attempt to keep awake.

However, despite her best attempts it seemed that her parents were nothing if not observant.

'You need to rest' Sirius told her firmly, and merely raised his eyebrows as she opened her mouth to protest.

He turned to her mother, whose frame was slightly slumped in the seat beside her.

'You need to rest too'

'I'm fine!' Alina snapped, her chin sticking out in defiance and her forehead creasing into a frown.

'No you're not' he replied firmly and standing up he reached out and grasped her arm, helping her to her feet.

'You're both exhausted and need to get your strength back' he told them, reaching out with his free hand and selecting a vial of potion from the bed side table and handed it to Eve.

'This is dreamless sleep potion, it will help you to get some rest. Drink all of it and you'll drop off to sleep soon enough' he told her softly 'I'm going to take your mum back to her room and then I'll come back and check on you…if you need _anything _at all just call out for me and I'll be right there'

His eyes glued to her own for a moment in concern, and she smiled in response before bringing the vial to her lips and downing the entire potion.

The effects of the potion were almost instantaneous as a wave of drowsiness washed over her.

Blinking furiously, she kept her eyes firmly on her parents as with great care her father took her mother in his arms and escorted her from the room. She heard them pause in the doorway for a second to glance back at her, before the soft click of the door told her they had gone.

Before the drowsiness consumed her, and sleep took over a few things ran through her mind.

Firstly were the faces of her parents gazing down on her with an emotion in their eyes she had never seen before; and emotion she could only assume was…love?

Secondly she briefly acknowledged how she had just drunk an unknown potion given to her by someone she had only met for a matter of hours…but she had been honest when she had told them that she wasn't scared. She knew they wouldn't hurt her.

And finally, as her vision blurred and she allowed her eyes to flutter closed was the blank expression of resignation on Draco's eyes as he pointed his wand at her…

'Draco' she breathed.

* * *

><p>A soft knocking on her door awoke Alina from her slumber and feeling slightly dazed she called out.<p>

'Come in!'

The door slowly opened with a creak and Alina felt her lips immediately curve into a warm smile as a bespeckled face and messy black hair peered around the doorway.

'Come in, Harry' she chuckled lightly at his hesitance.

If it had been James she was certain he would have charged in regardless to whether she had given him permission or not.

She felt a dull pang in her chest at the thought of James and quickly brushed away the memories and drew herself into the present and the boy who had taken a seat beside her bed.

She pulled herself up into a seated position, crossing her legs and turning to face Harry.

_God his eyes look so much like hers…_

'Ron and Hermione are arguing again' he informed her, as a reason for his appearance, and Alina nodded with a grin of understanding.

She briefly wondered whether herself and Sirius had made their friends suffer as much as Harry did with their constant arguments.

_Definitely _she thought with a small chuckle.

'How are you feeling?' he went on to ask her, his eyes filled with concern.

_So much like Lily._

'Fine! If it weren't for Sirius threatening to hex me if I get out of bed I'd be up by now' she told him before lowering her voice 'not that I couldn't deal with him if he tried, but sometimes I've got to let him be 'the man''

Harry grinned in response to her comment and laughed quietly before his face became more serious.

'What happened?' he asked her quietly 'why did you and Sirius run off…was it _him?'_

Alina flinched at the thought of Voldemort and felt a wave of anger at the familiarity in Harry's voice when he mentioned him.

Harry was fifteen, he wasn't supposed to have had contact with the darkest wizard of all time.

_Didn't we fight to prevent this?_

'No' she told him softly 'I take it you haven't spoken to Sirius?'

Harry shook his head 'I haven't really seen him today, I think he's been busy…'

Alina paused for a moment and sucked in a deep breath.

'When I was taken I was pregnant' she told Harry 'and yesterday we found out that our child…mine and Sirius' daughter, was alive and still imprisoned'

Harry's eyes widened with shock as he registered what she had said.

'Yours and Sirius'…' he breathed quietly, before he looked back up at her his eyes startlingly green in the light 'and you went to find her.'

It wasn't a question so she nodded silently.

'Did you find her?' he spoke carefully, as if worried he would provoke unwanted sadness, but seemed relief as a bright smile lit up her face.

'Yes!' she told him eagerly 'seems like we got there just in time…but she's safe now. She's asleep in the spare room. Her name's Eve, she's the year below you…' her voice trailed off as she realised she was gushing and she studied Harry's face.

A warm smile spread across his features and there was no hint of the emotion she was dreading to see; jealousy.

Over the last two years she was more than aware that Harry's relationship with Sirius had grown into what could be described as father and son…and as for herself, over the last few weeks she had been a constant presence in his life and was hoping to gradually form a similar bond.

Her fear was that Harry would feel pushed out of the equation now that Eve was in their lives.

'You know when I found out I was pregnant, I only told your mum' she told him and saw Harry's eyes gleam with alertness at the mention of Lily 'we were both so excited that you would both grow up together…Sirius and James had been talking for ages about a new era of 'Marauders'…' she shook her head at the thought.

'We thought you were going to grow up together, go to Hogwarts together…just like we all did' a flicker sadness appeared behind her eyes but she quickly blinked it away and smiled encouragingly at Harry.

'When they took me, once I found out about James and Lily – my main concerns were for the two of you…' she gazed intently into his eyes 'I never thought I'd see you both again – and now I have – it's weird…so so weird'

'Alina…' Harry began, nerves evident in his tone.

'Yes?'

'I was wondering…I've met a lot of people who knew my dad…but not really my mum –'

His voice trailed off as he saw the sadness in Alina's eyes, before the emotion was quickly erased from sight and she nodded with a small smile.

'Your mum had loads of friends, she was one of the kindest people you could ever hope to meet – she used to put me to shame all of the time' Alina chuckled 'there are very few people who are naturally _good. _Your mother was one of those few people, and from what I have seen and heard you seem to have inherited that gift from her.'

She paused to smile kindly at him before continuing.

'She was liked by everyone, but there were four of us as best friends…me, Lily, Polly and Alice' her voice lost enthusiasm as she spoke and gradually her tone deadened to a monotone as she spoke.

'Polly was the first victim to the war…before we even realised we were fighting one' as she spoke she relived the memory, the pain and the loss.

'The rest of us remained best friends, but eventually the war claimed us all. I was first to be taken, I understand that I was believed dead…soon after I was gone He came for Lily and James' she spoke quietly, Harry leaned in absorbing every word she spoke.

'And Alice…well I take it you heard what happened to the Longbottoms?' her voice caught as she spoke, the loss of Alice being the freshest wound of them all.

Alice was supposed to be safe.

The war had been over; it shouldn't have happened.

'Neville's mum?' Harry breathed, and Alina nodded silently.

'How is Neville?' Alina asked.

'He's fine' Harry smiled gently 'the clumsiest boy you'll ever meet though' he grinned.

Alina laughed at that, and frowned thoughtfully.

'I'll have to meet Neville' she spoke more to herself than Harry 'I'm just happy you're all safe. I know you've had a hard life, Harry, but I'm here now. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect you.'

The final words she spoke were with such clarity, such determination that Harry couldn't respond.

His heart had skipped a beat, and his body tingled with warmth, as he embraced the love in Alina's voice.

For a long time Harry Potter had not understood what it was like to have a family. And at that moment, hearing the motherly care in Alina's voice, he wondered if he was finally going to find out.

* * *

><p>Eve let out a sigh as she stirred from her sleep. Her eyes, however, remained tightly closed.<p>

She was terrified of opening them. Terrified that it was all in her imagination, that she would find herself back in her cell and her parents had not truly come to save her.

But the soft pillow that she felt her head resting on, and the thick duvet that covered her body keeping her luxuriously warm told her a different story.

Taking a deep breath she counted down slowly in her head, working herself up to opening her eyes.

_Three, two, one…._

CRASH

At the sound of the door crashing open, Eve's eyes flew open and she sprung from the bed onto the hard wooden floor. Her arms were outstretched and her knees were bent into a defensive stance.

'Oh, shit! Sorry love!' a surprised voice sounded 'I didn't realise…wait, hang on….who are _you?'_

Eve found herself staring at a teenage boy, perhaps a few years older than herself, with startlingly bright…orange hair?

His voice, slightly higher due to his initial shock had deepened as his surprise had turned to confusion and then on to suspicion.

'I'm Eve' she responded to him, neither moving nor relaxing her muscles which were still tensed in preparation for a fight.

The boy stared at her for a split second too long before his response, a slightly dazed expression on his face.

'Why…How are you here?' he asked her.

'My parents brought me here…' she replied slowly.

'And they are?...'

'Alina and Sirius' she replied, raising her eyebrows at the look of shock on his face.

'A-Alina and S-Sirius?' he spluttered, before realisation dawned on him 'so that's where they disappeared to yesterday' he muttered, more to himself.

Eve watched the boy curiously, he was not like anyone she had ever met before. His hair was an almost obnoxiously bright orange and his face was laced with light freckles. And his eyes…his eyes were neither blue nor grey, nor filled with coldblooded cruelty…

They were a warm brown, lit up with humour and kindness.

'I'm George' he grinned, speaking in a hushed tone, extending his hand and moving towards her.

In that moment, Eve had to make a decision. Would she allow the virtual stranger to approach her, to _touch _her?

She gazed once more into his kind eyes and with a deep breath, she lifited her own hand to cup his.

'Hello George' she breathed, unable to prevent her lips curving into a smile at the sight of his infectious grin spread across his face.

The sound of approaching footsteps caused the grin on George's face to falter, and panic take its place. With a quick grimace and an apologetic look, he dived onto the floor hiding his body with the large oak bed.

'Wha –'she gasped in surprise, frowning down at the boy.

'If anyone asks…I _wasn't here'_ he hissed.

As if on queue, there was a light knock on the door and Eve looked up in alarm.

'C-Come in?' she called, feeling terror clutch her with its sticky fingers.

Who would it be? Why would this boy, who was older that her and clearly had access to a wand, need to hide.

The fear left an icy trail through her, and she felt as if she had been holding her breath for a year as the door slowly creaked open.

She gasped out loud as the sight reached her eyes. Never had she seen someone so horrifying. Deep, angry red scars distorted his entire face, one eye was spinning wildly in its socket, a startling blue that did not match his other eye and his lips were twisted into a scowl.

Eve stared at him in silence, her body waiting for the attack she was sure would come.

'Hello, Eve I take it? The man asked, in a gruff, yet rather pleasant tone.

Eve blinked in surprise.

'Y-yes' she stuttered, and the man nodded thoughtfully.

'You look like Alina' he informed her and Eve had nothing to respond with except a dumb nod.

The man stared at her for another moment, before nodding his head as if he had gained whatever he had come for, and turned to exit.

'And you can tell the buffoon cowering under your bed, that his mother is still looking for him and she's none best pleased' he growled 'oh, dinners in half hour' he called finally over his shoulder as he closed the door behind him.

A moments silence, and then the sound of George scrambling to his feet met her ears, she turned to him, her face the picture of wild confusion.

'That's Mad-Eye Moody' he told her in ways of an explanation 'used to be a brilliant Auror…but sent him a bit mental, really'

'An Auror?' she asked quietly.

'You know…they fight against dark wizards?'

'Oh, like my mum and dad?' she asked, and George chuckled.

'Not quite, Aurors get paid for what they do.'

Silence fell between them and Eve bit her lip shyly, feeling awkward standing there talking to this boy.

The only person she had spent time with in a friendly manner was Draco, and even then it hadn't always been enjoyable with his constant mood swings.

'Why were you hiding?' she asked him, and a broad grin lit up George's face.

'My mum found some of me and my brother's…inventions. She doesn't quite approve of them, see' he shrugged 'anyway, Fred is currently hiding downstairs somewhere, so that's why I'm here!'

'You're hiding from your mum?' Eve clarified slowly, and George nodded eagerly 'but…why…is she going to hurt you?'

George frowned at her question, and seemed to study her face before he replied.

'Course not, well not really. We'll probably get a shouting at…although when we stole dad's car we did get a few hexes sent at us…this isn't really as bad as that though' he shrugged.

'Are you coming down to dinner?' George went on to ask her, and she raised her eyes to meet his.

'Am I allowed?' she asked him quietly.

'Course you are!' George beamed, nodding his head in indication towards the door and grinning 'come on!'

Eve blinked, unsure whether to follow the boy, but sucking in a deep breath and acknowledging his wide grin she followed his lead.

The house was nowhere near as large as the manor her prison had resided in, but the tall ceilings and wooden floor boards left a cold chill in the hallway he led her out into.

Silently, Eve thanked whoever had dressed her in the large jumper that kept her body warm.

'You have to be quiet as you go down stairs, it's not worth the earache if you make noise' he whispered to her.

'George…' she begun, hesitating at the top of the staircase, and he turned back to look over his shoulder at her 'what if my father gets angry at me for leaving the room?' she whispered.

George smiled warmly at her 'Eve, you're not in prison you're allowed to leave the room if you want to…plus, you're hungry right?'

Eve bit her lip in uncertainty before nodding her head.

Yes, she was hungry.

'Come on then!' he told her, reaching out and gently taking hold of her elbow to lead her down the staircase.

'George...' she began again, and the boy paused once more raising an eyebrow enquiringly at her 'why is your hair that colour?' she asked.

For a second George just stared at her, as if unsure whether he had heard her correctly.

'Why is my hair…this colour?' he asked, trying to clarify the question she had asked him.

'Yes' she nodded 'I've never seen orange hair before.'

She didn't know what she had said but George's laughter seemed to explode from his chest.

He dropped his hand from her arm and clutched his stomach as his loud guffaws echoed down the staircase.

Eve stared at the boy in alarm.

Was he crazy?

She shuffled uncertainly on the step she was standing on, and George finally raised his head to look at her face, wiping a tear that was trickling down his cheek.

'Oh Eve, you're going to see plenty more orange hair, now that you're here' he choked out, before bursting into laughter once again.

'FOUL MUDBLOODS LACING MY HOUSE WITH DISGRACE. BLOOD TRAITERS, MUCKBLOODS, MUDBLOODS AND SQUIBS INVADING THE GLOURIOUS HOUSE OF BLACK –'

The shrill yells caused Eve to jump violently and ended George's laughing fit.

Quickly the boy took her arm and led her down the stairway towards the sound of the screaming.

'George – Wha -?' she began to question, but stopped in her tracks as they reached the bottom of the staircase and found four pairs of eyes staring back up at them.

'Errmm…sorry about that?' George shrugged meekly.

**a/n: Thank you all for your reviews I truly appreciate them all and will do my best to respond to them this week! It seems that nearly all of you want to hear from Eve's POV aswell which makes me happy as the more I'm writing and thinking about Eve the more excited I am to write more from her. **

**I know it's taken me ages to update and I will do my best to be better at it, but have so many exams at the moment it's difficult!**

**Thank you so much though xxx**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14:**

Eve threw herself back against the wall behind her and crouched slightly in a defensive stance as they were bombarded with the angry cries of a plump, orange haired woman who stood central to the three men before them.

'GEORGE WEASLEY, _WHAT _HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THOSE – THOSE – THOSE SILLY _TOYS!' _the woman screeched, and Eve flinched at the tone, waiting for the woman to draw her wand.

_What am I going to do? How do I get us out of this…?_

She quickly realised that 'I' had become an 'us.' The image of his bright brown eyes flashed in her memory and affirmed what she had already decided; George could be trusted.

Her gut instinct, as Draco had always termed it, never seemed to fail her.

_It's gotten me this far _she told herself _now how do I get past all four of –_

'But _Mum –'_

The instant George's reply left his lips, all plans of escape and defence left Eve's mind and she stared dumbfounded between the boy beside her and the woman. Both orange haired, both brown eyed…his _mother._

'- DON'T YOU DARE '_BUT MUM'_ ME! THEY. ARE. DANGEROUS!' she bellowed, her face a startling shade of fuchsia.

'Sorry dear, dinner will be ready shortly and I'll show you to the living room in just a tick.' Eve blinked in utter shock as the woman turned to her, and spoke in a warm, welcoming tone, none of the rage evident in her expression as she quickly beamed at her before turning her attention back to her son.

Eve felt her body relax, her thumping heart slowed, her breathing, which had become short and rash, became steady and her hands slackened from the fists they had curled in to. But her face was still twisted in a frown of confusion, and as the woman's scolding once again continued, the woman's screeching voice from further on down the corridor seemed to only grow in pitch.

'MURDERERS, BLOOD TRAITORS, THE VERY SCUM OF THIS EARTH –'

'_And look what you've done!' _George's mother hissed, as if somehow, George was responsible for the other woman's shouting 'get into that kitchen and help your brother with the dinner – you two will be doing the washing up as well…the Muggle way!'

George caught Eve's eye quickly as he made his way in the direction his mother had indicated, and once behind the woman's back, he flashed her a quick grin before disappearing down the corridor.

As George disappeared from sight, Eve's attention turned once more back to the four adults standing before her, and she felt her stomach tighten with a mixture of nerves and dread. Her knees began to tremble beneath her and her heartbeat quickened in pace.

The slight movement of the woman, as she took a step towards her caused Eve to jerk back in immediate reaction, thumping her against the wall.

_Ouch._

George's mum instantly froze, and Eve felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment at her blatant display of fear, and registered the sympathy and sadness that flickered across the woman's face in reaction.

'Now, you must be starving?' she questioned gently, thankfully ignoring Eve's reaction to her approach, and Eve nodded quietly, still warily flickering her gaze between each person.

'This is Remus' George's mother told her, seeming to understand her discomfort at being around strangers, as she indicated to the tall, rather shabbily dressed, man to her left. The man smiled warmly at her, lighting up his pale face.

'This is my husband, Arthur' the woman continued, indicating the orange haired, beaming man beside her.

_George's father_ she told herself.

'And this is Nympha -'

'Tonks…the name's Tonks' a purpled haired Witch quickly interrupted, grinning widely at her 'My God you look like Alina!' she added, and Eve felt her cheeks flush at what she felt could only be taken as a compliment.

'I'm Molly Weasley' George's mum finished, smiling at her 'now you're nothing but skin and bones, let me see to that! I'll fill you out in no time! Follow me, I'll take you to the dining room, your fathers already in there.'

Eve smiled shyly, and followed Mrs Weasley along the corridor, until they reached a doorway to their left. Mrs Weasley opened the door and led her through, revealing a large, well lit, yet still rather dingy, room. A long table was centre to the room, and Eve felt a sweep of relief rush through her as her eyes registered the presence of her father.

'Eve!' his eyes widened in surprise 'I thought you were still sleeping –'

'She somehow managed to run into George' Mrs Weasley explained 'no doubt as a result of his attempt at hiding from me' she added wryly, and Eve felt herself blush, immediately confirming her suspicions.

'George said it would be all right to come down stairs –' Eve began apologetically, and Sirius quickly cut her off.

'- of course it's all right! Dinner will be ready shortly…your mum will be down soon and the others.'

_The others?_ Eve thought, _just how many other people are there in this house?_

Sirius seemed to pick up on her alarm.

'This house is used as a headquaters' he explained quietly.

'A headquarters for what?' she replied softly, recognising that Sirius was divulging important information to her.

'The Order of the Phoenix' he allowed the words the sink in, and upon her blank expression he formed an explanation 'we are a group that aims to stop Voldemort.'

Eve gasped out loud, and stared at her father in disbelief.

_Stop Voldemort?_

Eve shook her head, no; it just simply was not possible! She'd seen _Him, _she'd met the man in person; there just was no stopping him.

'Impossible' she muttered and raised her eyes to meet her father's.

'Nothing is impossible Eve' he replied.

'That man…he…how can anybody stop him. Have you _any _idea of what he is capable of?' She gushed, her heart pounding.

'More than you can possibly imagine' he told her, and looking into his eyes, the shadows that haunted them, Eve did not doubt him for a moment.

'So everyone here…they are _against _those people?'

Sirius nodded 'like I said, you're safe here' he smiled and Eve found herself smiling back 'there will be a lot of people coming and going from here because of it. But there are a group of us who live here. Everyone will be down soon and you can meet them…will you be up to it?'

The question was asked casually, but Eve could hear Sirius' concern. She considered the question, could she handle it? She thought of the warm smiles of those she had already met, and the kindness in their voices.

'I can handle it' she replied.

* * *

><p>Soon the room was aloud with conversation, and each place at the table was filled.<p>

George had entered the room just seconds before the table was covered with an array of different food.

He slid into the place next to her, and Eve had to do a double take as she greeted him.

Beside her was George…and sitting beside him, was…_George?_

'T-There's _two _of you?' she spluttered, and abruptly closed her mouth as she realised she had spoken out loud.

George glanced at her, one eyebrow raised with amusement, before turning to the 'other George' and letting out a dramatic cry of alarm.

'So there is! There's _two _of me!' he gasped 'IMPOSTER!'

'No, there's two of _me!' _Interrupted the 'other George' 'I'm George!' he grinned.

'No _I'm _George!'

'No _I _am!'

'No _I am!'_

'He's right, the name's Fred, pleasure to meet you!' George's double finally relented, grinning widely at her, his eyes twinkling brightly.

'But…but how?' Eve asked, flabbergasted by the display.

'Twins!' George and Fred both announced at the same time, as if it were painstakingly obvious.

'Twins?' she repeated, confused.

'Come on, Eve? You know…' George began.

'- two eggs –' Fred continued.

'- one womb –'

'- a few more technical processes that we shall not delve into at this precise moment –'

' – and BOOM!' George thumped his hands loudly on the table, causing everyone to stop their conversations for a moment to stare.

'Twins!' both boys declared.

'Fred, George! Stop making such a racket!' Mrs Weasley scolded from the end of the table, and both flashed identical apologetic grins.

'I can't believe you've never seen twins before!' Fred told her, frowning.

'- And no, they do not all have orange hair' George added slyly, grinning at her as she bit her lip, bowing her head in embarrassment.

'Well I suppose you could say my social life had been slightly limited' she replied wryly.

Their conversation was interrupted by Sirius, serving heaps of food onto Eve's plate; of which she stared at in alarm.

_What is it all?_

She had never seen so many colours on a plate in her life, it was nothing like the stale left over scraps of food or gruel she was accustomed too.

Hesitantly, she scooped up a piece of white meat covered in a brown sauce and brought it to her lips. And her mouth exploded with flavour.

Never, never ever, had she tasted something so nice since Draco snuck a bar of chocolate to her for her birthday.

She glanced at her mother, whose eyes were sparkling with understanding from across the table.

'You wait till desert' Alina grinned 'now, dig in!'

Eve did not need telling twice, she ate and ate and ate, until her stomach could not process any more food.

She had barely made a dent in the ridiculously large portion that Sirius had given her, but it was the biggest meal she could remember ever having.

In that moment, Eve felt a rush of emotion soar through her, her cheeks were warm and her eyes were heavy. Her stomach was full, and bright, cheery conversation surrounded her. She glanced to her left and saw the face of her father, and in front of her the beautiful face of her mother. Her mouth was beginning to ache having been stretched into a smile for too long.

_Is this happiness?_

* * *

><p>After dinner, with the exception of a few visitors who bade their farewells and left, everyone moved to the living room which adjoined to the dining room.<p>

Eve found herself sinking onto a large armchair, facing a crackling fire. Alina and Sirius had taken their place in the sofa beside her. And the others were scattered around the room in various positions.

George and Remus had begun a game of Chess on the floor before her and everyone was watching lazily as it grew more and more heated.

Eve, however, found her attention wavering and looked to the small group that sat overlooking the game. They all seemed to be Eve's age or older. Two girls, one with brown, thick hair and the other with the now familiar orange hair, sat closest to Eve.

Studying their faces, Eve could see that one girl was clearly extremely pretty, with her light brown eyes and thick lashes that framed them and orange hair that was far darker than George's and the others. The brunette was not particularly stunning, but she had a natural prettiness and her eyes exuded intelligence.

Another orange haired boy sat beside them, utterly absorbed in the chess match taking place, whilst sitting slightly further back, with a calm expression, messy black hair and startlingly green eyes was another boy.

Eve's eyes rested on him, and her mind immediately began to tick. He seemed familiar, although she knew she had never seen him before. She stared deeply, frowning as her mind tried to place why she felt that she knew him….

'Hi'

The quiet greeting caused her to jump in surprise, as she realised that the two girls had approached her.

'Hi' she replied hesitantly, her eyes flickering across each of their faces, analysing their intent.

She glanced over at her parents, and saw Alina flash an encouraging grin, before turning her attention back to the girls.

'I'm Hermione, and this is Ginny' the brown haired girl informed her in a very well-spoken voice.

'I'm Eve' she replied softly, feeling slightly more at ease under the warm smiles from both girls.

'We've heard loads about you, we were wondering when you were going to come out of that room!' Ginny told her confidently.

'How are you feeling?' Hermione asked her.

'Erm…' Eve began, looking from girl to girl, before sighing and shaking her head 'I don't really know to be honest' she smiled apologetically.

'A bit overwhelmed?' Hermione guessed, smiling with understanding 'I can empathise; when I found out I was a witch I didn't know what way was up! Harry was the same –'

_Harry._

_Harry! _It suddenly clicked and her eyes shot to the black haired boy sitting by the fire.

_Harry Potter._

Draco had told her enough about Harry Potter for her to feel as if she knew him. He had described the messy hair, the round (stupid) glasses, and lightning bolt scar.

Eve could see all of the description before her very eyes and she let out a deep breath as her mind tried to keep up with everything that was happening.

She found herself narrowing her eyes at the boy as she remembered all of the times Draco had told her about him. About how arrogant and self-possessed he was…how he acted so superiorly to those around him and was favoured so much by everyone at school.

'Eve?'

Eve jerked her head, and realised that Hermione had been speaking to her.

'Oh…I – I'm sorry…I'm just not used to so much going on at once' she told the girl apologetically 'what were you saying?'

Hermione continued talking, and the constant sound was reassuring and pleasant to Eve's ears. She didn't have to speak much, Hermione and Ginny both seemed to detect her discomfort, and instead she listened to their chit chat.

Through it all, Eve could not help the discomfort that flooded through her at being in such close proximity to Harry Potter. Every few minutes she found herself glaring across the room at him, angry at his part in causing discomfort to Draco, and slightly resenting him for being there instead of her friend.

At the thought of him, a lump came to her throat and she had to suck in a deep breath to calm herself as her eyes threatened to prick with tears.

As Hermione pulled out a book to read, and Ginny began discussing Quidditch with Sirius, Eve amused herself by contentedly gazing into the fire.

She found herself compelled by the twisting and weaving of the flames, the way they flickered dangerously in some kind of random, unpredictable dance. She allowed the sound of the crackling and occasionally spitting of the wood to soothe her and enjoyed the heat it brought against her cheeks.

Soon she barely registered anything or anyone else in the room. In fact, she barely even registered the room itself. All that consumed her conscious were the flames. They seemed to reach out to her, enticing her to come to them…to allow them to swallow her…to dance with them…

'_Eve…where are you?' his words were a whisper, so soft that they could barely be heard out loud._

_Speaking too loudly would not do, if anyone heard him…if anyone became aware of his association with her…_

_As he stood up, he wiped his eyes quickly, and before leaving the room he glanced quickly in the mirror to check that his face gave no indication of his emotions._

_His grey eyes stared blankly back at him, his blonde hair not an inch out of place._

'Eve!'

Eve jolted violently in the chair, opening her eyes wide as the room suddenly came back into view, but she was dazed, she couldn't quite grasp her surroundings. Everything was too loud, too bright…too hot. She was hot. Boiling hot. She felt as if she were on fire.

'Eve, what's wrong?' her mother was In front of her, coming into focus, and suddenly Eve was aware that everyone's eyes were on her.

'I – I don't –'she croaked, confused at what was happening 'Wha- what happened?'

'You were staring, your eyes were so wide! And you weren't reacting to our voices; then you started shaking…' Ginny informed her, her voice full of concern.

She felt a cool hand press against her cheek.

'She's burning up Alli' he father's voice sounded from beside her.

'She's probably over done it, come on Eve, let's get you to bed' she felt his sturdy arms supporting her as he helped her out of the seat.

With his assistance, she left the room and made her way upstairs and into her bedroom.

'How are you feeling?' Alina asked her gently once she was in bed.

'My head aches' she grumbled, but managed to catch the slight widening of her mother's blue eyes, and the thoughtful expression that followed.

'Just rest now, you'll be feeling better in the morning' Sirius told her as they made to leave the room.

Just as she was leaving, Alina paused in the doorway and turned back to her daughter.

'Eve…did you –'she began, before shaking her head and stopping herself mid-sentence.

'Did I what?' Eve urged.

'Nothing' Alina smiled, though it did not quite seem to meet her eyes 'good night.'

She left the door ajar, something that Eve was thankful for, having been locked behind one for too long to feel at ease.

* * *

><p>She sighed to herself, letting out the deep breath she was unaware that she had been holding. The night seemed peaceful, with the faint sounds of movement downstairs and creaking of the floorboard as people made their ways to bed.<p>

Left alone, Eve could finally consider what had happened.

_Am I going mad?_

It wasn't a dream, they had told her she had not been asleep…but she had seen him. She had seen him so vividly it was as if he were standing before her now…

A dull pang shot through her heart and she bit her lip to prevent it trembling.

_Will I ever see him again?_

Today, she had experienced happiness. An emotion unlike any she had ever experienced. She had felt love and kindness from not just her parents but from everyone else too.

And yet, she could not help but feel the yearning she seemed to feel for Draco.

He had been her only source of comfort and relief from the hell that had been her life for as long as she could remember. And whilst he was often rude, or moody and more than often haughty, she would never question his friendship.

'I miss my best friend'

Saying it allowed seemed to break all of the dams she had built up, and with a muffled sob she allowed herself to cry into her pillow.

And as she cried her mind flickered to the boy she had seen tonight, the one with messy dark hair and a lightning shaped scar; Harry Potter.

She had lost her best friend, and had found herself living with the one boy who made Draco angry, unhappy and feel inferior.

She silently seethed at the thought of having to be so proximate to someone who clearly was not a nice person.

_Well I won't bother with him _she thought to herself _for Draco, I won't bother with him._

On that thought she let her mind relax, her tears stop and she delved into a peaceful sleep.

Dreaming of flames, Draco, her parents and orange hair.

* * *

><p>'Lucius!'<p>

His voice was no more than a hiss, it seemed to entwine itself in the very fibre of the air that consumed the room, and fill every space within the four walls.

A shiver ran down the spine of each person who stood in line, their heads bowed in a mixture of respect and terror, before the man.

'Yes, my Lord?' a masked figure stepped forward, bowing low before the man, his voice carefully masking the utter fear that consumed him at having been summoned.

'Severus has informed me that Eversor has escaped?' His voice was velvet, and deceitfully casual.

'M-My Lord! The Order, they launched an attack -' Lucius asked, the fear no longer cloaked.

'_Two _Vadima Lucius! It is now two, you have managed to lose' His voice was dangerously soft, his mouth twisted into a cruel smile 'Lord Voldemort was kind enough to forgive you for the first, wasn't he?'

'Yes! Yes My Lord!' Lucius cried, sinking to his knees.

'Did I not tell you of the importance of our control over a Vadima? To lose _two, _this cannot be forgiven lightly Lucius' His voice grew more excitable, his eyes lighting up in malicious glee.

'My Lord – I am sorry! Please forgive me –'

'Crucio!'

Voldemort lazily watched the man howl and writhe with pain on the floor before him with an expression of boredom on his face, his eyes showing a slight flash of interest as the screaming increased with pitch. He allowed the curse to continue for a few minutes, knowing exactly when to stop before the man would delve into the realms of insanity.

At the removal of the curse, the screams stopped immediately, and were replaced by his haggard breathing and muffled sobs. Lord Voldemort did not acknowledge either.

'Lucius' mistakes have cost us greatly; perhaps more than the Order are aware. The Vadima are a powerful tool, one that would be beneficial to our cause' everyone in the room seemed to hang on his every word, his every breath seemed to rip into their souls 'as a breed, their magic grew practically extinct after their civilisation was destroyed many years ago. But there are still decendants remaining, of that that I am sure.'

His eyes scanned the room, his gaze burning through each and every mask, and his voice lowered to barely more than a whisper.

'_You _are going to find them…_all of them.'_

**A/N: All i can say is I am so sorry. Life has been extremely busy at the moment, living in a house with 5 other girls leaves little spare time to write, but I am now home for the summer so will do my very best to change that! I have also had severe writers block, I am actually still suffering but am forcing myself to work through it. Thank you so much for your reviews, and please keep reviewing, It was your reviews that finally got me to give myself a slap and write this chapter! I will begin the next chapter in the morning, so hopefully it will be done soon!**

**Thank you so much.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15:**

After a week with Eve living at Grimmauld Place, it was hard for Alina to believe she had ever survived without her daughter.

Soon enough, although still rather shy and uncomfortable around too many people, Eve was content with helping clean the house and spent the majority of her days with Ginny or Hermione. To both Alina and Sirius' surprise, the twins had seemed to make a pet out of Eve and their daughter seemed to enjoy their lively chatter and excitable ways, often sitting with them quietly as they plotted their next venture.

What had them baffled them though, was Eve's reaction to Harry. The second day she had come out of her room, Harry had tried to make conversation with her, but Eve had quickly brushed him off, somewhat coldly, and left the room.

Alina had watched this happen more than once, and she could not fathom the reason. Although sometimes quiet, Eve was comfortable talking to any other person, but seemingly not Harry.

'She did it again' Sirius muttered in her ear, as he came out of the room that his daughter and the other children were cleaning. He did not need to tell her to what he was referring to; it had been a constant conversation between them in the last few days.

'_Again?'_ Alina sighed and ran her hands through her hair despairingly 'should we talk to her?'

Sirius hesitated 'I don't know…maybe? I just don't know why she's like that to him and nobody else…'

'Maybe she knows he's Voldemort's main target…I mean she's seen _Him_, she knows what he's capable of, maybe she's scared to be around Harry?' Alina suggested, not feeling confident in what she was saying.

'I don't think that's it' Sirius shook his head thoughtfully 'she doesn't seem worried to be near him, she just seems unwilling…she acts coldly to him…in fact she kind of reminds me of –'Sirius caught himself mid speech and glanced at her.

'She reminds you of what?' Alina asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

'Erm…she reminds me of you' he replied quickly, grimacing in preparation for some kind of blow.

Alina blinked in surprise, before shrugging in agreement.

'I suppose I've been referred to as 'cold' before, in my time' she relented, and smiled wryly at him.

'Unless it's jealousy? I mean, Harry's as good as a son to me…and you' he quickly added.

'Let's just let it play out, Eve's been through a lot and she's young, it might just sort itself out…I mean, we didn't really start off on the right foot'

'Yeah' Sirius agreed, although his tone didn't sound confident 'I'm sure it will be fine.'

* * *

><p>A few days later Alina sat alone with Eve in the living room, Eve was silently staring into the fire whilst Alina attempted to concentrate on an ancient book she hoped would hold some detail into the Vadima Race.<br>She frowned, giving herself a little shake and forced her eyes to return once again to the dusty book in front of her, yet almost against her own accord she found her eyes straying back to her daughter. Eve's eyes were slightly glazed as she stared into the flames almost as if she were in a trance.

_What is she doing?_

She had caught her doing it more than once, gazing into the fire as if it were about to reveal a secret to her.

_A secret…_

Alina's mind began to spin, and she turned fully to her daughter, neglecting the book, and examined her expression.

She watched Eve's eyes widen as if she were seeing something that surprised her, she watched her body begin to tremble.

_What is she doing? _The thought was gnawing at her mind, as if she knew, deep down, exactly what was happening, but she could not locate the information.

It was hidden behind lock and key.

For a few more seconds she studied her daughter, and then glanced back down at the book.

A slow wondering smile crept upon her face.

* * *

><p>Eve let the flames take hold of her, she had grown familiar to the sensation now and she relaxed her mind, allowing her magic to seep from her and delve into the flames.<p>

_Please let me see him, Please let me see him._

She begged silently, knowing deep down that she needed to give up on this obsession.

She saw the flames begin to open, shadows begin to dance within. The shadows grew bigger, and the detail became clearer, the flames and the room faded away. She prayed desperately for blonde hair, for his grey eyes, she just wanted to know that he was all right and not in any trouble…

_A cloaked figure stood before her, the ivory mask gazing expressionlessly forward. A cold chill flooded through her body, sinking her heart to the depths of her stomach._

'_I have heard rumours My Lord, we may have found the location –'_

'OUCHHH!'

Her own cry of pain transported her from whatever dream like state she had fallen into and straight back into reality. Something had smacked her directly in the face. For a moment, all that she was aware of was the blazing heat on her face and the sweat dripping from her entire body, before reality, quite literally, hit her in the face once more, this time accompanied by her Mother's startled cry.

'WHAT THE FU-'

Eve blinked, ignoring her mother's colourful language and instead staring wide eyed into the fire. Shooting from the flames, almost as if they were bullets, came letter after letter in a flurry of white.

She jumped up, before she could fall victim to anymore of the weapon-like envelopes, and felt an ominous rumbling beneath her feet, leaving her hopping from foot to foot in shock.

Her mother had already whipped out her wand and had proceeded in casting spell after spell in an attempt to stop this onslaught of…post.

'I WILL KILL THOSE TWINS!' she yelled, although Eve could detect the amusement behind her shouting.

'Did we hear a death threat aimed at – WOOOAHHH!'

At that moment, with two loud cracks, Fred and George had apparated into the room, and let out identical yells of surprise.

'THIS IS BRILLIANT!' George cried, before letting out a strangled shout as he slipped on a letter and tumbled to the floor.

'Erm…Alina' he started, from beneath a pile of letters 'the floorboards…'

The boards, already shaking, seemed to do so more violently. Eve let out a yelp, and sprung up onto the armchair, and watched in amazement as letters began to force their way through the cracks between the floorboards and shoot into the air like an erupting volcano.

The commotion had drawn the houses' attention, and within minutes all of the inhabitants had made their way to the living room, letting out identical cries of shock (her father letting out a short bark of laughter, before Mrs Weasley glared at him in disapproval) and they soon enough found themselves knee deep in thousands of letters.

'They're coming out of the toilet!' Ginny yelled, shuffling into the room through the sea of letters.

'WHAT IS GOING ON!' Ron's voice sounded, as he, Harry and Hermione appeared in the doorway.

'WE DON'T KNO-' Mrs Weasley began to shout back, but was interrupted by a loud explosion of laughter.

'Harry!' Hermione scolded.

Eve scoffed in disgust, the whole house was falling to pieces, for all he knew the letters could contain any form of deadly substance, and he was standing there _laughing._

'_Prat' _she muttered darkly to herself.

'Sorry, it's just - I know what this is…what's happening' Harry wiped the tears from his eyes, for the first time since she had met him, he was grinning happily…almost carefree.

'Have you opened one yet?' he turned to her, and it took a moment for Eve to register that it was to her whom he was talking too. She stared blankly at him for a second.

'No' she replied, allowing the coldness to seep through her tone, her nose crinkling in distaste at having to speak to him.

A flash of something flickered over Harry's face and Eve frowned, trying to place the emotion.

_Hurt._

She refused to accept the guilt that tried to invade her body, but catching the look of confusion and disappointment from Alina, she couldn't help the flutter of shame in the pit of her stomach.

'Well I'm almost positive they're for Eve, that's all' he continued, shrugging his shoulders in nonchalance.

In response, Sirius grabbed a letter from the pile that nearly exceeded his waist, and exchanged a disbelieving look with Harry.

'It's for you' he stated simply turning back to her, a broad grin lighting up his worn features.

Tentatively, keeping her eyes on her father as if waiting for the punch line, Eve picked out an envelope from the pile and glanced at the address.

_Miss Eve Black,_

_The House of Black,_

_Address Unknown._

She frowned, that couldn't be right…

But as clear as day, in eloquent green writing, it stated her name.

'Eve Black' she whispered, tasting it on her tongue, for the first time experiencing her family name.

She broke the seal and opened the letter, and as she did so, to her own and the rest of the order's surprise, the thousands of letters disappeared with a loud crack.

In alarm she stared at her father, her eyes questioning.

'Go on, read it' he encouraged, his smile lighting up his features and flashing a ghost of his good looks.

She complied, unfolding the letter and reading the cursive writing.

_Dear Miss Black,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…_

In stunned amazement, she slowly looked up and met her father's eyes.

She didn't have to say anything; the question seemed to be clear.

'Is this for real?'

He grinned happily at her, and to her annoyance she caught the wide, knowing grin of Harry in the corner of her eye.

Sirius nodded, slowly and deliberately.

'Yes. Yes it's real.' He confirmed, his eyes sparkling with pride, and his face suddenly seeming more youthful and handsome.

'Can somebody please tell me what is going on?' Alina demanded, and the others in the room made noises of agreement.

When it seemed that nobody was going to reply, Harry cleared his throat.

'They're Hogwarts letters' he told them 'four years' worth of Hogwarts letters'

* * *

><p>A few days later, Alina, Eve and Sirius returned from their trip to Diagon Alley. After hours of arguing, which to Mrs Weasley's horror had included a few jinxes being thrown; Alina had been unable to convince Sirius into remaining at home for Eve's first visit to the Alley. It had only been the previous evening that Alina had relented from the silent treatment she had been giving Sirius and accepted his 'stupid decision.'<p>

And although she hated to admit, she could not deny that being together as a family had been brilliant. Sirius, rather than in animal form, had opted to borrow Harry's invisibility cloak after announcing how 'good it felt to be back under this thing.'

And they had both watched happily, as Eve's head twisted from left to right, upwards and downwards, her mouth hanging open in awe as her eyes tried to absorb everything possible in the bright and magical street.

All three came home extremely exhausted, their arms heavy with the weight of a wardrobe worth of clothes, books, cloaks, school equipment, and Owl (Mohani, named to Alina's delight after her own childhood owl) and to Eve's utter joy, a wand.

The traces of discomfort and fear were slowly fading from Eve's eyes, and her body had filled out to a slender frame instead of the far too skinny form she had been only a few weeks previous, happiness, so intense that it almost seemed tangible in the air around them, seemed to engulf Alina.

_This is what a family should be…_

Once they had aparrated back, Sirius had taken a handful of bags straight upstairs to give to Harry, whose impending trial and high risk of being targeted by Voldemort, had made it too difficult for him to join them.

Tiredly, Alina had followed Eve into the living room, and paused in the door way as she watched her daughter take the familiar seat before the fire. In Eve's hands, her wand was held tightly, as if she were frightened to let it go, but her attention had drifted, like normal, to somewhere entirely different.

Narrowing her eyes in thought, she observed Eve, watching her again simply confirmed what she had suspected previously. Eve began to tremble, her breath deepened and her eyes widened as if she were watching something occur before her…

_She's seeing something._

She knew that for certain. She had experienced the sensation enough herself for it to be obvious, but unlike what she was used to, there was nobody there whose mind could be read, whose memories could be looked into.

What Eve was doing was not familiar to her, and no amount of searching through ancient books so far had provided an answer to her question.  
><em>What is she doing?<br>_A sudden thought came to her, whether it would work or not she was unsure, but surely there would be no harm in trying? Before she could allow her mind to consider the question and highlight the faults in her plan, she allowed her instinct to guide her.

_After all, it's got me this far _she told herself silently.

She breathed in deeply, filling her lungs to their capacity before slowly exhaling, relaxing her entire body. She kept her eyes focused on her daughter, like a hawk focusing on its prey, and she gathered up the tandems of power that trickled through her veins. The response was instantaneous, she could feel the excitement spreading through her, as if her magic was exclaiming with joy. Her hairs stood on end with the electric current of her magic, and the power crackled in her fingertips, itching to be used.

Somewhat reluctantly, she kept the force reigned in, and pushed with her mind, forcing the energy directly towards the girl before her.

She felt Eve's barrier, and marvelled at its strength, but the magic seemed to recognise her, it had recognised her from the moment they had touched, and it bowed before her and allowed access. The instant she had entered Eve's mind, a picture flashed before her eyes and suddenly Alina was no longer in the room. She was no longer watching her daughter.

She let out a gasp as her new surroundings sunk in and frowned in confusion as she looked around at what seemed to be a jungle. The trees, towering over her diminutive frame grew wildly, entwining with one another so that only trinkets of light were able to shine through, painting an almost eerie golden lighting on the surroundings. Bright green veins hung down, some almost touching the ground, and plants tangled around her feet, making it nearly impossible for movement.

A hooded figure stood before her.

It did not take even a second for the bubble of rage and disgust to expand in the pit of her stomach at the recognition of Death Eater attire. She had experienced such visions enough times for her gut to correctly tell her that her presence was not known and she watched in silence as the Death Eater slashed their wand, clearing the plants in violent sweeps to form a pathway.

_Stop. Don't go any further _she silently found herself begging, although unsure of her reason behind the plea.

The figure continued for a few minutes, Alina could hear the heavy breath of the Death Eater as they made their way through the untamed jungle. The figure sighed with relief, and paused as a clearing opened before them. And automatically Alina drew forward, eager to see what it was that they were in search for.

The clearing was large, perhaps a hundred metres in width and length, and central was the giant ruins of what seemed to be an ancient temple. The second her eyes had adjusted to the sheer majesty of the structure, she could not tear them away. Her mouth dropped in awe, as her eyes gazed over the Temple.

A surprising rush of tranquillity rushed through her veins as she looked at the Temple, and her heart seemed to swell with an unrecognisable emotion.

Wild moss had crept across the faces of each stone, the lush green contrasting against the pale, almost yellowing dullness of the ancient rocks, creating the kind of beauty that can only be formed through time. At the mouth of the temple, a commanding door glared out into the jungle, encrusted with Gold and precious stones, intricate engravings, possibly ancient writing, adding to its regal mystery.

Movement in the corner of her eye drew Alina's gaze away from the beautiful ruin, and her attention once again fell upon the Death Eater, who was making their way determinedly towards the temple, stumbling slightly as their strides lengthened in what Alina presumed to be excitement.

She followed.

They slowed as they came to the entrance, slowly leaning forward to inspect the writing on the door, peering closely as if trying to determine some kind of meaning from the ancient symbols.

_Get away from there _she inwardly growled, surprising herself at her own feral anger.

After a few minutes, Alina watched in anticipation feeling an unexplainable sense of smugness, as they reached out their hand, and with pain staking slowness lightly touched the golden door.

'ARRRGHHHHHHH'

The scream from the Death Eater broke the religious silence that had consumed the air, sounding inappropriate and brash in the serene surroundings of the uninhabited jungle.

Alina jumped in shock, her eyes widening and her heartbeat racing as the Death Eater was thrown violently backwards about thirty feet through the air and landed with a bone crunching thud in a heap on the ground. The cries did not stop there; screams of utter agony bounced through the clearing and were swallowed greedily by the mass of the jungle, never to be heard by another human's ear…

Alina jolted, letting out a loud gasp of surprise as suddenly, her surroundings disappeared and were instantly replaced with the familiar setting of Grimmauld Place's living room. The first thing she was aware of was the blazing heat that stormed her body, and she reached out a hand in panic, grasping the door frame firmly as a wave of dizziness washed through her.

'What was that?'

It was Eve's confused cry, the fright in her voice that broke her out of her daze and somehow, Alina managed to stumble across the room towards her daughter, who was clutching her head and frowning.

'It was me' Alina told her gently, her voice sounding foreign and distant to her own ears.

'I'm so sorry, I just needed to know what you were seeing every time you look into the fire –'

'I don't – I don't get…' Eve was confused, as she stared at her mother 'that's not what normally happens'

'What do you mean?' Alina asked her.

'I – It's not always that, and it's never that – that long!' her voice was shaking 'what is it…what am I doing?'

Alina paused, unsure of how to respond.

'You know your powers, you know how they have been used and can be used to enter another's mind, to control certain actions?' She spoke carefully, and saw Eve flinch as the memories clearly rushed back to her, and Alina shuddered involuntarily as similar memories flashed before her own eyes.

'But the problem is,' she continued softly ' with our kind, there are very few of us…in fact we may be the only ones now, and we know very little about our ancestors – we'll need to speak to Dumbledore, because what we've just seen…that may very well be real.'

'Y-You mean that really happened…w-what we just saw?'

Alina nodded thoughtfully 'it probably lasted longer because we combined our powers. Are you all right though?'

'I'm fine' Eve nodded, looking lost in thought.

'We'll figure it out' Alina smiled, gently stroking her daughter's hair and taking a seat beside her 'I'll owl Dumbledore in a bit, why don't you look at one of the books you bought today?'

Eve nodded obediently, and went to collect her books leaving Alina alone in the room.

She found herself absently staring into the fire, almost questioning it as to what power it possessed to charge such a vision. She thought back to what she had just seen, the Death Eater and the temple.

What were they doing? She knew, without doubt, that Voldemort wanted something inside that temple, and whatever it was it was important.

_What is inside that temple?_

A familiar knot twisted inside her, the feeling of fear, nerves and determination.

The feeling of war beginning again.

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of your reviews, my writers block is beginning to fade (finally) so I known what direction I am going in now! Your support has really helped me so I cannot thank you enough.**

**Now, I don't know if anyone is interested in this, but I am looking for some cover art for this story, so If there is anyone out there interested in helping out it would be much appreciated (as I have no artistic talent at all) and as a reward you can give me a date, and I will promise to have updated by that time! **

**Thank you all xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Harry fastened the latch on his trunk with a loud click, and sighed, taking one last sweeping look around the room that he shared with Ron for any remaining belongings which had somehow evaded being packed.

It had been an eventful summer, an eventful year at that. It felt strange, to be sitting silently in his room, for it was very rare that he had a moment alone and he was wishing more and more for moments such as these, which was the main reason that he had lied about needing to finish packing his trunk whilst the others had gone for dinner.

He felt guilty, avoiding Ron and Hermione, but for some inexplicable reason the second he was with them a rush of rage and frustration ran through him. The rage and frustration that had consumed him for the entire summer…

The weeks and weeks of being alone, of not knowing what was happening, of remembering that night…

_Don't think about that._

He was going back to Hogwarts in the morning, and that thought alone soothed him. Hogwarts made everything better.

And perhaps he would finally be able to speak to Dumbledore. He still couldn't fathom why the Headmaster seemed so reluctant to speak with him, and Harry found that it was upsetting him more than anything.

Dumbledore had been there the previous night, at Grimmauld Place, had spoken with Alina and Eve, but clearly did not have the time to speak with him.

He clenched his teeth to fight the growl of frustration that was curdling within his chest, almost burning his throat with intensity.

_None of them understand_ that's what it boiled down to. None of them understood.

It hadn't ever bothered him, being _the '_Harry Potter', losing his parents, living with the Dursley's, Quirrel, the Chamber, Voldemort, Cedric…

He shut his eyes tightly, sucking in a deep breath and shaking the thought from his mind.

_Cedric standing beside him, drawing his wand, the flash of green…._

He shuddered.

It was growing too much, too much to bear, he felt as though he was drowning and the pain and loss was suffocating him.

'Nobody understands' he whispered to himself, running a hand through his messy black hair.

_Except maybe Sirius…or Alina…_

The thought hit him quite suddenly, but it clung to his mind, absorbing into his brain and claiming its place there.

They had both suffered. They had lost their friends; they had fought Voldemort and had lost each other, and their child.

_Eve._

She seemed to hate him, or at least seemed reluctant to associate with him in any way, and he did not understand why.

Was she jealous? Did she dislike his relationship with her parents?

That didn't seem to be it, but there was no other logical explanation.

Pushing the thought from his mind, he reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the photo of the original Order that Moody had given him a few days before, and stared sadly down onto the happy faces waving back at him.

His green eyes found the familiar faces of his parents, and he let out another heavy sigh.

'I wish you didn't die' he stated simply.

He didn't hear the quiet creak of the floorboards outside his room, or notice that the door had been slightly opened ajar, and he definitely did not see the grey eyes watching him, pooled with confusion.

Instead he pushed the photo back into his pocket, stood up, let Hedwig out of her cage, and watched her fly out into the night sky.

* * *

><p>'You do what?' Eve squeaked, her eyebrows shooting upwards and causing Alina to laugh.<p>

'You walk straight through that wall' she grinned at her daughter, watching Eve's face as she tried to determine whether it was a joke.

She opened her mouth to respond, but the sight of Fred and George running through an apparently solid wall had caused her jaw to drop and hang open in shock.

This time, Alina burst out in peel of laughter, wiping her eyes at Eve's expression.

'Ready?' she grinned, nudging Eve with one shoulder and raising an eyebrow. Her question was echoed by an excited bark from her right, and they both grinned at Sirius' excitement.

'I guess' Eve replied nervously, chewing on her bottom lip.

Taking hold of one of Eve's arms, she led her forward.

'We'll go together.' She whispered, ignoring the knot of anxiety forming in her stomach.

She could sympathise with her daughter, the paleness of her face and almost grim expression as the nerves set in.

Eve had never experienced being in proximity to so many people, and the chance of running into the Malfoy's was highly likely, much to Alina's disgust.

But they had discussed this with Dumbledore, and Eve had decided that she wanted to travel to Hogwarts on the train with everyone else; it was Alina who was hesitant.

Many people believed her dead, and she was scared of her presence causing a scene. As for seeing the Malfoy's, her face darkened simply at the thought of them, and she knew it would take every ounce of self-control that she possessed to prevent herself from Kedavra-ing him on the spot, or at least torturing the very life out of him…

The familiar hustle and bustle of platform 9 ¾ surprisingly left her with a lump in her throat.

The sight of Ginny rushing over to chat to Eve, even more so. It felt as if history was replaying before her, in her mind's eye she could see Lily's red hair and sparkling green eyes bouncing excitedly up to her. She could remember the relief of leaving her father behind and being reunited with her friends…

_How did it all end up like this?_

'Are you all right?' she murmured to Eve, standing close to her and allowing her eyes to scan the crowd for any sign of Malfoy.

_The man who had tortured her for years, who had tortured her daughter for years._

_The man who had killed Polly._

Eve nodded silently, her face a faint tinge of green.

Fleetingly Alina wondered if Eve would have been this passive had she spent her life with herself and Sirius and not in that hellhole…but she immediately blocked the thought as a red flash of wrath took possession of her body.

'You'll have an amazing time' she told Eve 'Hogwarts is my favourite place in the world, and remember when you get there say hello to Sodales for me' she smiled fondly, thinking of the beautiful white unicorn.

'What if I'm in Slytherin?' she asked quietly, lowering her voice to prevent Sirius, who was currently beside Harry, from hearing her.

'You won't be in Slytherin' she told Eve, a sinking feeling setting within her at the very thought.

Sirius' family had all been in Slytherin…there was a chance…but Eve was certainly not a Slytherin.

'But I've done things…'

A loud whistle blew, signifying it was time to board the train, interrupting Eve.

'It's not about _what _you've done, it's about who you _are' _she quickly told her daughter, feeling concerned at the fearful expression in Eve's eyes.

She pulled her tightly to her, holding her close, and suddenly feeling sick.

From her embrace, her eyes had found Lucius Malfoy, who was glaring icily at her from the end of the platform.

Her blue eyes narrowed, and the rage that swept through her caused her entire body to shake violently.

She wanted to kill him. She wanted to crush every bone in his entire body one by one until he was begging for death …

Instead, as she met Lucius' glare with equal hatred, she pressed her lips to her daughters head and then whispered.

'I love you.'

Sirius' barks interrupted the moment, and Eve pulled away, throwing her arms around the dog and giving him a kiss on the head before two flashes of red bounded towards her.

'Come on Evie' Fred yelled, taking her trunk from her and heading towards the Hogwarts Express, as George grabbed her arm and began to lead her away from Alina and Sirius.

Eve allowed herself to be led onto the crimson train, glancing over her shoulder just before she boarded to get one last look at her parents.

They climbed onto the train, slamming the doors behind them just in time as the train began to move.

'See you!' Eve heard Harry cry, and she turned to look out the window, waving at the shrinking figures, and feeling her throat constrict at the sight of the shaggy black dog chasing the train down the platform.

'Bye Dad' she whispered to herself, although a glance from Harry told her that he had heard.

_Go on, say something _she dared him, waiting for a taunt or jeer, but none came. Instead he smiled at her in what appeared to be understanding before turning back to the others.

'He shouldn't have come' she heard Hermione state, and realised quickly she was referring to Sirius.

'Oh lighten up, he hasn't seen daylight for months, poor bloke' Ron brushed the comment off.

'Well' Fred announced, clapping his hands and making Eve jump 'can't stand around chatting all day, we've got business to discuss with Lee. See you later!'

He turned to leave, and George paused for a second turning to Eve.

'Will you be all right?' he asked, and it seemed strange to hear George speak in such a serious tone.

She opened her mouth to say that yes, yes she would be fine, but somehow words seemed to fail her, and instead she stared wide eyed back at him, feeling extremely unsure of herself.

'I think so' she managed to force out, and twisted her lips into some form of a smile.

'Come on Georgie!' she heard Fred call, and George hesitated for a second, looking as if he were about to say something else before flashing her a wide grin.

Whilst she had spoken to George, it seemed that another conversation had taken place between the others, and Eve turned back to them to find Ron and Hermione looking extremely uncomfortable as they spoke to Harry.

'Well, I – I might see you later, then' Harry was saying, his overly bright tone making his disappointment painfully obvious.

For a second, she felt a brush of sympathy as his friends made their way in the opposite direction, before turning to follow Ginny who was leading herself and Harry to find a compartment.

* * *

><p>After making their way through the entire train, they reached the final carriage, and Harry and Ginny both recognised a round faced boy, gripping tightly to a large toad and greeted him as Neville.<p>

_Neville Longbottom _although she couldn't place why the name was familiar, she was positive she had heard her parents mentioning it before and she watched curiously as they convinced the clearly unwilling Neville to enter the final compartment and join the girl, whom Ginny referred to a 'Loony Lovegood'.

'This is Eve' Harry introduced her to Neville as they sat down, and Neville beamed at her, making the corners of her mouth automatically stretch into a smile as she greeted him.

Eve found that after an hour, her nerves were finally settling and the overwhelming attack of discomfort finally relented its onslaught, and all it seemed to take for this relaxation were Neville's famous words; 'guess what I got for my birthday?'

It seemed, by Eve's observations, that an explosion of pus from a Mimbulus mimbletonia was certainly a way to break the ice. And it took Eve at least five minutes to calm down as fits of giggles made it nearly impossible for anyone to rectify the situation.

Adding Harry's traumatised expression at the tragically timed appearance of a very pretty Chinese girl, all of Eve's anxieties seemed to be a very distant memory.

'Does anyone want anything from the food trolley?' Ginny asked, a while later.

'I'll come with you' Luna offered 'I would like to see whether there is any Garlic Sherbet this time, it's an excellent ward for Vampires and Trinket-Fae's, you know' she informed them.

Nobody asked what a Trinket Fae was, or questioned why the food trolley would supply Garlic Sherbet.

Instead Eve politely declined Ginny's offer as did Harry, and Neville's quiet snoring was taken as a no. So, with a glance at Luna and an amused raise of her eyebrows, Ginny flashed them a grin before disappearing from sight.

Leaving Eve and Harry, for all better purposes; alone.

_Crap._

Eve had learned, particularly having spent so much of her time alone in her life, that silence had the ability to be comfortable and often calming.

This, however, was not one of those occasions.

They sat in an unbearable silence, Eve examining her nails and Harry adjusting his glasses, the awkwardness almost tangible.

'How are you feeling about starting at Hogwarts?'

The question to both their ears sounded forced.

'Fine' she replied curtly, silently blaming him for the fresh bombardment of nerves she had only just vanquished.

'I know you don't like me. But I understand how you're feeling, you know'

His words alone made her freeze, but it was something in his tone that truly struck a chord in her heart, and her stomach flipped as guilt invaded her body.

Slowly, she raised her eyes until they met with his startling green ones, unwavering and oozing with intensity.

'I don't hate you' she replied quietly. It was true; she did not _hate _Harry. She was Draco's friend, and Draco did not like Harry, therefore she should not like Harry….

_Right?_ Forcefully, she pushed aside the questioning voice in her head.

However, what she could not push aside was the image of him kneeling on his bedroom floor, his voice broken.

'_I wish you didn't die.'_

She blinked. Hard. Trying to vaporise the image.

'I was terrified when I first came here, I had no family, I didn't know anything about magic and I was sure I wouldn't make any friends' he told her, ignoring her response.

_He's Draco's enemy. He's rude, he's arrogant, he thinks he's better than…._

But her thoughts no longer seemed so utterly convincing in her own mind, or perhaps they were not as overwhelming as her urge to listen to him. To hear someone who seemed to understand her fear speak and relate to her…

'But you made friends…' she spoke hesitantly, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on him.

'Yes' he nodded, his eyes clouding slightly, something which Eve immediately picked up on.

'And you're angry at them?' she questioned lightly, noticing the flash of surprise in his emerald eyes and then his frown as if in thought.

He paused.

At first Eve didn't think he was going to answer, but after a moment of contemplation Harry fully turned to her.

'I'm not angry at them, I think I'm just angry' he told her.

'Angry about what?'

There was no longer any turmoil; every part of her was intrigued.

'About Voldemort, about the _stupid _Daily Prophet stories, about Cedric…' he sighed, and looked up at her, and she understood.

That was why he was speaking to her, he knew that she would understand. If anyone knew what it was to suffer as a result of that Monster, it was her.

'Who's Cedric?' she asked.

'Did you know Voldemort used my blood in the potion to get back his body?' Harry questioned, and Eve shook her head silently, her eyes wide with shock.

_No, I did not know that._

Whatever had happened to Harry before the summer had seemed to be an unspoken elephant in the room.

'Cedric wasn't supposed to be there…it was supposed to just be me' the guilt was evident in his tone, and she opened her mouth to reply, when the compartment door swung open and Luna entered with a rather dreamy expression on her face, and Ginny came in looking utterly bewildered by the girl before her.

She quickly bit her reply, and grinned at Ginny.

The journey continued; as did the conversation, and every now and then Eve found herself glancing over at Harry, her mind in a whirl.

Perhaps there was more to Harry Potter than she originally believed.

* * *

><p>Draco Malfoy sat in his compartment on the Hogwart's Express. And it truly was <em>his <em>compartment.

He lazily regarded his companions, arching an eyebrow at the idiotic expressions on Crabbe and Goyle's faces as they attempted to play exploding snap, to the even more ridiculous expression on that of Pansy Parkinson as she gazed at him with sickeningly sweet lust.

He smirked.

Pansy, like many of the other girls in his year, had developed a crush on him in fourth year, and it seemed that it still remained after the summer.

Good looks, Pure blood, wealth and now armed with his shining new Prefect badge, he was even more attractive to her and he was sure, to all the others as well.

_Typical girls._

He had spent the first three hours of the train journey relating details of his summer, his peers hanging on each and every one of his words, but not once did he mention the event that had consumed all of his thoughts.

The event that he had stewed in his mind over and over; _her_ expression of resignation as he raised his wand to point directly at her…

'I'm bored' he stated, in his usual drawl, preventing himself from hovering over the memory.

'Why don't we go for a walk, Draco?' Pansy suggested immediately, with her eyebrows raised in hope.

'Yes' he responded, watching her face light up in glee before turning towards the two boys opposite him 'Crabbe, Goyle, let's go.'

As he left the compartment, he smirked once again picturing the deflated expression that had wiped over Pansy's face.

_Now, let's find some first years _he thought, his fingers brushing lightly across his prefects badge.

The next hour or so, to his mild amusement, was spent handing out detentions, and deducting points from anyone that wasn't in Slytherin.

And he was satisfied, for the moment at least, that Slytherin would begin the year in the lead for the House Cup.

As they reached the end of the train, he had turned back towards their compartment, when Crabbe had, to Malfoy's surprise, managed to speak a full sentence that hadn't made him want to curse him, and instead cause a vindictive snarl to curve his lips.

'Potter's in that compartment.'

Keeping his hand on the end of his wand, which remained in its Malfoy emblemmed holster, he sauntered slowly towards the compartment, like a lion stalking its prey.

Entering the compartment, Potter had his head bent over a magazine and seemed to be sharing some kind of joke over one of the articles, before he looked up, his green eyes narrowing in recognition.

'What?' he snapped.

Immediately, Draco felt a cool sense of satisfaction at the annoyance his presence had caused the boy, and he turned up his nose slightly, peering down arrogantly at him.

He froze.

The words evaporating from existence in his mind, in fact, the entire world evaporating from existence.

His eyes had swept across the compartment, eyeing the familiar faces.

Weasley…Granger…Longbottom…_Her._

_She's alive._

Relief, like no other he had ever experienced, rushed through his body. Elation taking hold of him in its warm embrace.

She was safe.

He made to move his arm, to reach out towards her; he needed to touch her to ensure that she was real and not just an illusion.

But he caught himself before he had committed the atrocious act - before he had embarrassed himself entirely.

He met her gaze.

The amusement had not quite left her eyes at the _pathetic _little joke that she had been sharing with _Potter _and his Blood Traitor friends.

Eve.

The air left his lungs, and a silence, so mammoth in its weight pressed in on him until he felt as if he were going to crush beneath the intensity of his power.

He watched as the amusement disappeared from her grey pupils.

A flicker of shock…of happiness…and then…of guilt.

_And so she should feel guilty_ he scathed _she had left him; she had left him and ran straight to Potter._

He felt the steely edge of his eyes, glaring through her like ice cold blades.

Her eyes pleaded silently to him, her mouth was open the slightest amount as if she had quite forgotten the use of it.

And disregarding the great muster of strength that it took, keeping his expression utterly blank, he tore his eyes away from her and back to Potter.

'Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention…'

* * *

><p>The rest of the journey had passed by in a haze.<p>

No longer did the conversation interest, or amuse her. Her mind was elsewhere.

Her mind was with Draco.

She had seen the brief shock, the emotion, and the betrayal that had clouded his stormy eyes.

_He must hate me._

Harry had been reading an utterly ridiculous article about her father and that one moment of amusement had fuelled the destruction of her friendship with Draco.

At first, she had wanted to run after him, to beg his forgiveness.

But she knew Draco well enough that he needed to cool down when he fell into his dark moods, and as such, chasing him through the train would not help.

In her daze, she spent the remaining time playing over scenes in her head. Scenes in which she apologised and all was forgiven. Where she and Draco would then go and play chess like they used to…

'Eve, we're here.'

She barely acknowledged Harry's words. She was too sickened by him to even spare a glance at the boy.

'Here' Ginny helped her with her trunk, smiling warmly at her.

'Thank you' she replied, a light smile tracing her face, her stomach twisting uncomfortably.

'Don't be nervous, it's going to be fine' the red head grinned, leading her off of the train.

The hustle and bustle on the platform vibrated into the night sky, and Eve felt incredibly lost amongst the excitable crowd.

'Eve Black?'

Eve turned at the sound of her name and saw a short, warm faced girl, who seemed a few years older than herself.

'Prudence Ashford, head girl' she introduced herself confidently, taking Eve's hand firmly in her own 'I've been told to escort you up to the castle, you'll be coming in the first coach so you can see Dumbledore before the feast.'

'I need to see Dumbledore before?' Eve asked, stumbling slightly as she allowed herself to be led through the crowd by Prudence.

'We don't often have new students…there haven't been any since I've been at Hogwarts anyway. You'll be sorted separately to the first years. Here we are!' she stopped abruptly before a carriage, attached to two strange winged creatures, with skeleton like bodies. One snorted, and stamped its hooves impatiently.

They looked odd. Out of place in comparison to the polished carriages and velvet coated seats.

_Just like me._

Quickly deciding that she quite liked the strange horse like animals, she climbed up onto the carriage and let out a shaky breath of preparation as they began to move towards the castle.

After five minutes, in which she had learnt of Prudence's five siblings, her two pet owls, when she had first shown signs of magic, and that she was in Ravenclaw, they turned a corner and even Prudence fell silent.

The castle had come into sight, and it was beautiful.

For a split second, all thoughts of Draco and her nerves left her mind, and she gazed in awe at the sight before her.

The colossal black silhouette of the castle, pressing back into the midnight blue, held a majestic air. The moonlight bathing the stony building only made it seem more unearthly.

'Wow' Eve breathed, and Prudence beamed happily.

'Hogwarts' she stated 'best place on earth.'

She felt herself nod slightly in response, but Prudence seemed to understand and her efficient expression softened to a smile as she led her through the ancient oak doors and into a vast entrance hall.

Her neck began to ache, as she looked from left to right, amazed by the suits of armour, the chattering portraits and the winding staircases, and she collided straight into Prudence's back who had stopped before her.

'Cockroach Clusters' the girl stated, appearing to be speaking to a stone gargoyle.

Eve started to question the girls sanity, a prickle of paranoia tinging her veins, was she even the head girl? Was this a trick? A plan to kidnap her agai…

But all thoughts of a conspiracy were eradicated as the gargoyle nodded and a stone door opened before them.

'Come on, Eve, this is Professor Dumbledore's office.'

Leading her up the staircase, Prudence knocked sharply on the door they met, which immediately swung open.

'Thank you Prudence' Dumbledore beamed, after Eve had been introduced, dismissing the girl 'and welcome Eve'

Once the door had closed behind Prudence, Dumbledore peered over his half- moon spectacles, as if waiting for her to say something.

When she didn't he smiled slightly.

'Sometimes it's difficult for an old man like me to remember, that even though you look like her, you are not actually your mother' he chuckled 'who would have entered this office guns blazing, and questions firing' he added as an explanation.

Eve was unsure of how she felt about that. She was aware she was unlike her parents; she was not as lively and as forthcoming as them. She envied her mother's strength and passion. She envied their bravery.

She smiled politely.

'Hogwart's does not often have the pleasure of welcoming new students in older years, so in the unconventional fashion I felt that it would be easier for your transition in the school to be sorted prior to the feast.' He informed her, and she sighed in relief at not having to sit before the entire school.

_Before Draco._

'We will sort you in a moment, but there is one matter that I wish to discuss with you before we do so…'

'I know not to tell anyone what I am, Sir. I haven't forgotten what we discussed –' she told him quickly.

'I know, I know' he smiled 'what I wish to discuss, is your name.'

Eve blinked.

'M-My name?' she frowned.

'You are aware of your father's reputation in the wizarding world, I know. So I want you to be aware of the repercussions of taking on the name Black…'

'-You mean that people will think I'm evil?' she clarified, in a deadpan voice.

Dumbledore studied her for a moment.

'Not evil, Eve. But it is common for people to prejudice against someone for merely carrying the name of a predecessor. If you feel that you would feel more comfortable taking your mother's name –'

It finally dawned on Eve what it was that her Headmaster was saying to her. Offering the chance to hide that she was a Black and of taking the name Blake instead.

It would stop the questions that no doubt would come, that was for sure. But the image of her father flashed before her eyes, the way his eyes lit up from their ghostly misery when he spoke to her, to him chasing her down the platform in his animagus form.

She was not embarrassed to be a Black.

She was proud.

'He's _my _father, and it is his name that belongs to me' she announced, tilting up her chin and staring unwaveringly at the old man as if daring him to suggest otherwise.

'Very well' Dumbledore smiled 'and once again, you remind me of your mother, you seem to have inherited her loyalty'

Before Eve could chew his words over, Dumbledore had jumped to his feet with surprising agility.

'Now, for the sorting!'

He walked over to one of his many shelves, and returned with a dusty old hat in his hands.

Eve eyed it suspiciously.

'The concept is' Dumbledore explained, noting her expression 'you simply place the hat on your head, and it will sort you accordingly to what is finds.'

Eve licked her lips, which had dried with nerves, and nodded permission for Dumbledore to place the hat on her head. She felt it in place, before the world went black as it covered her eyes.

There was a moments silence as Eve waited for something to happen, and jolted in shock as the voice sounded in her head.

'Well dear, you have to let me _into _your mind if you wish to be sorted' the hat told her archly, and Eve blushed, she hadn't realised how much of a defensive state she had fallen into.

Taking a deep breath, she relaxed her mind.

'Ahh, that's much better…now, what do we have here…another Black I see…'

_My parents were both in Gryffindor_ she wasn't quite sure whether she had spoken the words out loud or merely thought them. She wasn't even sure why she had related the information.

'Oh I remember your parents well, both holding the need to prove themselves, both brave…oh yes, very brave…'

She would not be in Gryffindor. She had known from the beginning. She was not brave, she had done things that other children would have nightmares about. She had tortured and killed. She had worked for _Him._

She was going to be placed in Slytherin. She knew it.

She thought of the scathing remarks from those in the Order about Slytherin, she thought of her father's disgust at the mention of the house.

'_Slytherin is where dark wizards belong'_

And she was a dark wizard was she not?

'Oh no, you are certainly not a Slytherin' the hat remarked 'neither sly, nor particularly ambitious. However there is bravery, and intelligence…but loyalty. I can see that loyalty leads you. Yes, there is a place for the loyal…HUFFLEPUFF.'

She felt the hat lift from her head simultaneous to her heart dropping to the floor.

'_And hufflepuff is just for the leftovers…you know. Not brave, not intelligent and not evil, pure blooded dark wizards' her father had told her lightly, exchanging a grin with Remus._

She would have preferred Slytherin.

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of your reviews, please keep them coming and let me know what you think!xx**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17:**

'Hufflepuff…._Hufflepuff?!' _

Alina watched, and cringed slightly, as Sirius' exasperated tone sounded for what seemed to be the millionth time.

'_Hufflepuff!?' _he raised his eyes to hers, his eyebrows knitted together as if waiting for her to provide an explanation.

'I know' she sighed 'but look on the bright side, it could have been Slytherin…'

Sirius paused for a moment, his shoulders relaxing slightly.

'I know' he sighed 'but _Hufflepuff?'_

Had she not been so bemused herself at the sorting, she probably would have laughed at the confused expression on his face, but she was baffled, far too baffled for humour to exist.

Sirius had received the letter from Harry over half an hour ago, and she had had to pry the letter from his fingers after he had sat unresponsive for at least a minute.

'She was scared she was going to be in Slytherin' Alina confided in him, and she saw his eyes flicker with surprise 'she thought she belonged there…because of some of the things she's done'

'-she didn't have a choice-'Sirius began.

'-I know, I know!' Alina replied quickly 'but at least she didn't end up there…and knowing your family history we should be thankful, it was definitely a possibility.'

Sirius' expression soured at the mention of his family.

'I suppose Hufflepuff isn't too bad' he relented, and he shared a wry smile with Alina 'I wonder why she didn't write to us herself…'

'She was probably too nervous that we'd react…well, like this' she let out a chuckle that was void of amusement.

'I didn't really speak to many Hufflepuffs when we were at school' Sirius commented.

'Oh I know you didn't _speak _to many Hufflepuffs, but I'm pretty sure you spent plenty of time _not _speaking with the Hufflepuff girls' Alina remarked, arching her eyebrows and earning a cocky grin from Sirius.

'What are we going to say to her?' he changed the topic, although still looking rather smug.

'We'll tell her that we're proud…and that we hope she makes lots of friends…' she went to the desk and found some parchment to begin penning the letter.

'And that she better not become a complete bore, with no competitive bone in her –'

'Sirius!' she scolded, before her expression softened and she quietly quoted 'Hufflepuff; where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuff's are true, and unafraid of toil.' for the first time appreciating the words.

* * *

><p>Later that night, after a brief meeting with the Order, Alina slipped upstairs alone and shut herself in her bedroom.<p>

She locked the door behind her and cast a Muffliato charm, before swiftly crossing the room and lifting up a loose floorboard, thanking Harry silently for giving her the idea.

There were a variety of items there, but she scooped out an intricately carved mirror, taking a moment to admire its polished glass and black stoned frame, before grasping two small bottles containing herbs and making her way to a more spacious area of the room, sitting down and spreading her items before her.

She paused, frowning thoughtfully down at the objects as she thought back to her and Eve's meeting with Dumbledore.

_Dumbledore sat thoughtfully before them, his usually calm brow furrowed slightly after having listened to what she and Eve had related to him._

'_And how long has this been going on, Eve?' he asked._

'_Erm…well only since I've been here' Eve replied quietly, looking uncertain 'i-it was the fire, you see' she explained after Alina had given her an encouraging smile._

'_The fire' Dumbledore repeated, mumbling to himself, and absently began to stroke his beard, causing Alina's lips to twitch slightly._

'_I have already told you that unfortunately, there is very little knowledge of the Vadima…in fact, curiously little knowledge'_

'_Curiously little?' Alina picked up on his words, and questioned him, earning a smile._

'_No matter how far back in history, there is very little that has not been passed through the ages at all. It can be in the form of writing, pictures, myths and legends, it is nevertheless there. The Vadima however, there is little to no trace of their existence. It has taken a lot of intense research for me to have discovered them at all…'_

'_And that is curious' Alina breathed._

'_Why is it curious?' Eve asked._

'_Because' Dumbledore replied 'it seems that for some reason the Vadima have hidden their existence, or at least something or someone has hidden their existence…the question being, why?'_

_A moment of contemplative silence fell upon the three of them, before Dumbledore broke it with a loud clap of his hands._

'_Now, as for the matter at hand…I believe, and do remember this is a theory I have not definitive facts, but I do believe that Eve, you have been doing something known as scrying.'_

'_Scrying?' Alina asked, positive she had read the term before._

'_Scrying is an ancient form of divination' Dumbledore explained 'it is the act of perceiving events that lie outside of the knowledge of your physical senses and instead through your inner eye.'_

'_So it's like having a vision then?' Alina asked._

'_Similar, but not the same' Dumbledore answered 'scrying is achieved by use of medium, this is commonly in the form of a mirror but natural elements can also be used, such as water or fire' he met Eve's gaze at this._

'_Although the use of water and fire is a lot less common' he added._

'_Why?' Alina frowned._

'_The elements are far less easy to control, it takes a powerful force to manipulate them for one's own use, and even then unless scrying through them is mastered, they often provide far more unpredictable and unclear results.'_

'_Then why use them at all?' Eve breathed, engrossed in Dumbledore's words._

'_Because' he smiled slowly 'when mastered, scrying through elements is the most powerful form available, and will produce the clearest and most accurate results possible. I believe, the clarity of the vision you had together was due to the combined force of your powers' he glanced from Eve to Alina._

'_Until then, am I right in guessing that you had very little control and very little clarity in what you were seeing?' he asked Eve, who nodded in response._

'_So, I could scry alone?' Alina asked 'I could have visions of what I want to see?'_

'_Perhaps' Dumbledore replied 'although alone, it would be far more reliable using a mirror, whilst you are learning to master fire, that is, if you are able to'_

'_So once we've learned, I could – we could – see what we wanted?' Eve asked._

'_Scrying is not always certain, there may be occasions where you will see what you want, and others where you do not' he told her 'and there are other uses for scrying as well.'_

_Seeing their interested looks Dumbledore continued._

'_As you already know, Scrying places you in a channelling condition, used correctly you can channel visions of the present, the past and even the future – although the future is often far more vague – it can be used to locate lost objects or people and even to find solutions to the scryers own emotional problems.'_

_Alina felt her mouth hanging open, but she could not form any words._

'_Wow' Eve stated, summing up everything Alina was feeling._

Alina licked her lips, which were incredibly dry, and reaching out for the mirror in front of her, she moved it closer so that she could stare directly into it.

Opening one of the bottles, she sprinkled a pinch of Acacia around the mirror to intensify the psychic properties of the object, and then added some Bay.

'Okay' she breathed, wringing her hands together and kneeling forward so that she was staring deeply into the mirror.

She slowed her breathing, something she had mastered over the years and as such waited for her heartbeat to slow too. She allowed her body to relax, with each breath loosening each muscle, until her entire body was in a luxurious state of peace. The only sound echoing around her was that of her breath.

It could have been minutes, or even hours, but soon the image of her reflection faded. Her blonde hair melting away, her blue eyes blending into the reflective glass.

Her reflection was no longer relevant; instead she focused every atom in her body on the task at hand.

She conjured up the image of the temple in her mind's eye. She pictured it so clearly it seemed as if she were standing directly before it. She imagined the surroundings, the towering trees that circled the clearing that the majestic building stood in, and even the feeble figure of the Death Eater scurrying towards it.

A flickering in the mirror caught her attention…or did she imagine it? She unconsciously moved closer the frame her eyes gazing deeply and unblinkingly into the glass.

It was there, the image of the temple, before her eyes.

And then she could smell it. She could smell the rich fumes of the jungle plants, the moist air emphasizing the smell until it was almost overwhelming. The sun was bright, causing her to squint her eyes to adjust to the sudden change of lighting.

And no longer a memory, no longer an imagined object, the Temple was towering over her, so real she was positive she could touch it.

Her gasp was inaudible, but she was sure she had formed it.

She moved closer to the Temple, it felt as if there were tenders of thread attaching her to the ancient structure, reeling her in, tugging her towards it.

She complied.

Closer and closer she moved, almost drifted, until she was so close to the magnificent entrance she could almost taste the history radiating from the stones.

With her own eyes she could see the carvings, the lost language that burned into her eyes, frustrating her with the mystery of their unknown meaning.

Her heart began to pump faster; it seemed to have moved from her chest and was thumping wildly in her ears. Her mouth was dry and a lump thick in her throat.

Her breath, no longer calm, was rash as she tentatively raised her hand, reaching out to brush across the engravings.

'NOOOO!'

The voice exploded around her, and she felt a terrified scream tear from her throat, as the temple disappeared before she even had a chance to blink and was replaced by a familiar face.

A face that both sent a wave of shock and utter terror right into her very core.

Bright blue eyes, wild with insanity. Blonde hair, tainted with a mixture of greys and white, strewn haggardly and lank from her head.

The face so gaunt, she seemed inhumane.

'Mum?' Alina whispered, the word sounding so foreign on her tongue that she choked on it.

* * *

><p>Coming out of the vision was a lot like waking from a day dream, for a moment she was dazed, surprised by her surroundings, before she gathered her bearings, taking in the familiar room, the mirror and herbs in front of her and let out a shaky breath.<p>

Two things were immediately clear to her.

Firstly, the Temple; she needed to see it, for real. Not through scrying, not through her memory or dreams, she needed to physically stand in its presence. This meant, logically speaking, that she needed to discover its location.

_And as soon as possible _she silently added, her mind wandering to the Death Eater that had already been there.

Secondly; her mother.

She didn't know what it meant, that her mother had appeared in the vision, but her gut told her that it was relevant. And from past experience, her gut instinct was usually correct.

A knock on the door disturbed her from her stream of thought, and she jumped violently, grabbing her wand and countering the muffliato charm.

'Alli?' Sirius' voice sounded from behind the door, and she jumped up, stumbling clumsily across the room and opening the door.

'Alli do you know where Buckbeak's water bow – are you all right?' he stopped what he was saying when his eyes fell upon her face.

'Y-Yes, erm…I think so' she stuttered.

'You look a mess' he told her blandly, moving past her and into the room, immediately eyeing the objects on the floor, and turning to her with one eyebrow raised.

'I tried to scry' she mumbled her explanation.

'You _tried?' _he clarified, taking hold of her arm and marching her over to the bed, pushing down on her shoulders and making her sit.

'I _did _scry' she corrected herself, blinking slowly to clear her head.

'Are you sure you're all right?' he asked again, a little more gently 'you seem dazed.'

'I – I guess I am a little bit' she replied, her voice slightly airy 'it, it was really weird…' her voice faded out, as her mind once again became lost in thought.

'Alli!' Sirius demanded her attention, and she snapped out of her thought path, her eyes flickering to his and her eyebrows raised as if surprised by his presence.

'Are. You. All. Right?' he almost growled, his frustration beginning to overtake his concern.

She paused before replying, her thoughts all finally coming together.

_Don't think about them, just do it._

She hoped she wasn't going to regret her lack of concern for the consequences as she finally met his eyes steadily and jumped up from the bed, startling him.

'Come on!' she instructed brightly, making her way quickly to the doorway, turning to face him expectantly.

He was sitting on the bed, staring at her with his mouth hanging open.

'W-What?' he spluttered.

'Come on! Get downstairs, get transformed, we're going out.'

The second she mentioned leaving Grimmauld Place, she knew that she could have been taking him to Voldemort's doorstep and he would have come. For the last few weeks leading up to Harry and Eve leaving, his mood had gradually darkened, until he was at times almost unbearable to be around.

He was crossing the room towards her, his face still plastered as a question, his grey eyes teasing a glimpse of a twinkle.

'We're going to visit my mother' she stated blandly.

Sirius' face dropped.

* * *

><p>'But you're sure you didn't imagine it? I mean, considering everything else, your mother suddenly appearing was a bit…well, random?' Sirius suggested, having listened to Alina hurriedly explain what had happened.<p>

'Well _that's _the point!' she told him, exasperated that he wasn't keeping up with her train of thought 'it _was _random, but it was definitely real. Which means it must have meant _something_ or had some kind of relevance to that Temple…'

'And how are you planning to find out exactly what that is?' he asked, before his voice became more gentle 'Alli, your mum isn't exactly…forthcoming'

'I know that' she sighed 'but it's a start, right? And we _need _to find out about that Temple…if it's important to Voldemort –'

'Alli, you don't have to convince me!' he interrupted quickly 'let's go.'

She grinned. No one else, in the world for all she knew, would spontaneously act on her instincts.

She nodded, glancing along the corridor to ensure they were alone. When she turned back she found a shaggy black dog gazing expectantly up at her.

'You know' she commented lightly 'I think James was right, maybe you should make the change permanent, you're far more adorable as a dog'

She chuckled lightly at his low growl, and led him to the front door, opening it slowly so as not to disrupt the portrait of Mrs Black, and as such alerting the rest of the house.

She crouched down, once they were both standing on top step, wrapping her arms around the dog.

And then with a loud crack, they disappeared.

Unsure of what she had actually expected, Alina stared surprised at how utterly unchanged the house was. It still stood strong, powerful and especially beautiful, at the end of the sweeping drive, its pure white marble still exuding irony in comparison to the darkness lurking behind its walls.

'Are you sure about this?' she heard Sirius' voice, but chose not to respond and instead marched forward in a far more confident fashion than she was feeling.

'Okay then' she heard him mutter, and follow her up the doorsteps, just as she rang the doorbell.

When she had apparated them there she had not considered what memories the visit would bring back. With all that she had suffered over the last fourteen years, the images and nightmares that resulted from her father's abuse had long since buried themselves in the very depths of her mind.

But at the sound of the bell, all of a sudden her mouth was bone dry, and her stomach began to churn in an ominous manner.

Would she see him?

Just what exactly would she find behind that door?

'S-Sirius –'her voice shook, and she cursed herself at how weak she sounded 'I can't do this –'

As she made to turn, and flee, away from the house and away from her past, the door opened, leaving her frozen to the spot.

'Can I help you?' a middle aged woman asked them, eyeing them both with slight suspicion.

'Where's Blinky?' Alina blurted, before she could prevent herself.

'The old housekeeper passed away five years ago' the woman replied archly 'is there anything that I can do for you?'

_Housekeeper? _The woman was clearly a Muggle. Alina felt a rush of sadness upon hearing of the death of her house elf, perhaps the only source of affection that she had growing up.

Alina decided that she didn't like the woman, regarding her pursed lips and the pretentious manner the woman eyed both herself and Sirius with.

'We're here to see Lady Blake' she informed the woman, feeling Sirius shift slightly as he recognised the edge to her tone.

'Do you have an appointment?' the woman asked pointedly.

'No' Alina replied sharply.

_I do not need this right now _she grumbled internally.

'Well Lady Blake is an incredibly busy woman and she does not take calls without an appointment, so I'm afraid –'

'-I didn't realise I needed an appointment to visit my mother' Alina interrupted her coldly, causing the woman to instantly snap her mouth shut.

'-h-her daughter?' her shock was obvious, and Alina used this to her advantage.

'The one and only' she smiled sweetly 'now if you'd just let me through…' she squeezed herself awkwardly, and slightly roughly past the woman, who made a sound of objection.

'Mrs Soloman, _what _is that racket?'

A booming voice from a room at the end of the hallway made Alina freeze on the spot, her head jerking upwards towards the sound.

'Excuse me' Sirius muttered, pushing past the housekeeper.

'Mrs Soloman!' the voice barked, and Sirius' arm wrapped around her shoulders protectively.

'I- I'm sorry Lord Blake' Mrs Soloman stuttered, scurrying past them and down the corridor into the room 'y-you have a guest here to see Lady Blake.'

'Lady Blake does not take visitors' he replied coldly, the tone sending ice chills down Alina's spine.

'I am aware, that is what I told them, but she claims to be your daughter and –'

'Excuse me?'

'Y-your daughter –'

The room fell silent, and then a scrape of a chair sounded, followed by approaching footsteps.

_Oh God, Oh God, Oh God._

Why did she do it? Why did she disregard the consequences?

'Shit' she whispered, horrified by her own reaction.

'LiLi?'

She heard the name on his lips before her eyes acknowledged his presence. He had aged, his face framed with a grey beard, and his head slightly balding. He had put on a lot of weight, but he was no less intimidating than he had been when she was a child.

His eyes were still as cold, dark and soulless as they had always been.

'Don't call me that'

Silently she praised herself at the strength in her voice, thankful for the overwhelming rush of anger that immediately replaced her initial helplessness.

'And…_you'_ her father's eyes narrowed as he recognised Sirius.

'Yes, _me' _Sirius growled, his tone feral 'and we're not here to see you.'

He turned to walk away, leading her with him, but she remained where she was. It was as if her feet were glued to the floor, and her eyes glued upon the man in front of her.

'Your mother won't react well to your visit…not after _all these years'_ his tone seemed almost accusatory.

'I'm sure she'll get over it' she retorted.

'It didn't cross your mind at all in the last seventeen years to come home?' he asked 'you just abandoned your mother…'

She wasn't quite sure at what point she had completely lost her temper, whether it had been the moment she had heard his voice, the use of that horrid name, or his accusations regarding her mother. All that she was sure of was that her father had been slowly approaching her, and was suddenly thrown backwards onto the floor behind him.

'Lord Blake!' a shocked voice sounded, and Mrs Soloman came running out of the nearby room and helped the man up from the floor.

'You know very well why I haven't come back to this place' she told him coldly 'so don't you come anywhere near me. I think we both know that it is no longer you who holds the power here.'

She didn't wait for a reply; instead she turned on her heel, and regained her place beside Sirius as they made their way up the staircase.

'I can go curse him a little bit if you want?' Sirius suggested quietly, earning a forced smile from her.

'Crucio?' she suggested.

'Avada?' he continued, and Alina tilted her head, nodding slightly in consideration.

'I still don't know how he got away with it all…for _all _of those years' she shook her head 'I should have told someone.'

'You did, you told me' he replied, squeezing her tightly to him 'but you know, putting all jokes aside, I would kill that man – quite happily – if it would make you feel better. It's not like I haven't dealt with the consequences of murder before…just without having committed the actual act –'

She turned to him, her eyes displaying a rare openness, and she smiled sadly.

'There are plenty of people, who deserve punishment for their actions, but punishment doesn't change what has already been done' she told him 'and besides, if anyone gets to kill that man, it's going to be me.'

He didn't reply as they found themselves outside her mother's bedroom, but Alina could feel his gaze burning into the side of her head.

She ignored it, not quite sure of what expression that the look would read.

She tapped the door lightly, nausea now consuming her stomach, tainted by a spell of apprehension.

'Yes?' a muffled voice answered, and Alina's heart skipped slightly at the sound.

_Mum._

She opened the door, entering the room before her apprehension grew any stronger, and sucked in a deep breath at the sight before her.

It was as if she had travelled into the past, for the same sight she had seen so many times before, appeared in front of her.

The ghost of a woman, huddled in bed despite the late hour of the afternoon, clutching a mug with both hands as if her life depended on it, and judging by the stench of the room, the liquid contained in the mug was some form of spirit.

'Mum' she sighed, regarding the woman with pity.

Not even examining the woman closely would any trace of the beauty she once possessed be found, a trait that she had been renowned for in her youth.

Her mother stared at her, her expression blank.

'You don't recognise me?' Alina asked gently, and once again got no response.

Her mother's eyes flickered to Sirius.

'I warned you to stay away from her' she whispered, conspiringly.

'Mum…' Alina began sadly, still feeling stung by her mother's words despite how expected they were.

'- you did all of this…if I were alone…alone' she muttered, frowning and fretting over her words.

Alina opened her mouth to respond but Sirius interrupted her, his eyes unusually bright, he hurried forward and crouched down beside Mrs Blake's bed.

'What did she do?' Sirius asked.

Mrs Blake paused, seeming surprised at the acknowledgment to her words, and silently Alina triumphed over his plan. They needed her mother to co-operate, and playing along with her delusions surely would help them with that.

'She exists' her mother answered simply, as if it were obvious.

'I was wondering if we could ask you some questions?' Sirius continued.

Mrs Blake frowned deeply, and seeming to have no objections Sirius carried on speaking.

'We need to find out information about a particular place we are looking for, and you might be able to help us' he spoke slowly, as if to a young child 'it's an old temple…somewhere in a jungle –'

Mrs Blake let out a loud gasp, and pulled herself out of her relaxed position, throwing herself backwards against the headrest as if trying to distance herself from Sirius.

'Mrs Blake?' Sirius questioned, alarmed by the reaction.

'Mum?'

'No, no, no, no!' her mother muttered, shaking her head profusely.

'Mum, do you know the place?' Alina questioned with more intensity in her voice.

'You can't, you mustn't…'

'Mustn't what?' Sirius jumped on her words, and Mrs Blake's head snapped up, meeting Sirius' confused eyes with her anguished ones.

'She triggered it all' she pointed a bony hand, shakily at Alina.

'Triggered _what?'_ Alina asked, desperate for a sane answer.

'There's more than one…I was no longer alone…they will come for you. To find the others'

Alina and Sirius exchanged helpless glances, completely at a loss to understand what her mother was trying to say.

_Perhaps they're just crazy ramblings._

'Mrs Blake, calm down' Sirius spoke gently 'it's all right, just try and explain what you mean, please?'

'She was like me, just like me' Mrs Blake told him, her voice choking 'I tried to love her, I did!' she told him earnestly.

'I know' Sirius replied softly.

'But the more of us…when we are not alone…the power, it can be found'

Alina fought to prevent the gasp escaping her lips; was her mother aware of what they were? Was she aware of their powers all this time?

'How? How can it be found?'

'Too strong, it is too strong to hide…and they will use us to get the others. I should have gone with the others but _he _wouldn't let me take her' venom laced Mrs Blake's words 'so I stayed because of _her_. I wish she'd never been born.' Suddenly, the hysteria in her mother's words evaporated, and she sounded more sane, more sure of herself, than she had in most of Alina's childhood.

'The others? What others?' Sirius pressed, but it seemed that her mother had finished cooperating and took a large swig from her mug, narrowing her eyes in Alina's direction.

'I've had enough of this!' Alina snapped, glaring back at her mother 'why won't you just tell me what you know! All this time, all along you knew how strong you were, _you _knew about my power? And instead of helping me, or at least explaining it to me, you let me go through it all alone!'

'Alli…' Sirius attempted to pacify her, but her frustration had exceeded self-control.

'You've never looked after me properly, you never helped me!' she ranted 'and I don't care, I don't need your cooperation!'

She felt her power crackling as her anger grew, and she embraced its electricity, projecting it forward with her mind and directly into that of her mother's.

She was startled by the weakness of resistance, it was unlike what she had experienced with Eve; the alcohol that poisoned her mother's system must weakened her defence enough to enable Alina a route of access.

_Let's find out what you know…_

Many of the memories in her mother's mind were damaged, fragments of what they should have been, slowly rotten away by her mother's addiction.

She saw glimpses of smiling faces, of Hogwarts uniforms and even herself as a baby, but however tempting it was to do otherwise, she ignored them all; they were irrelevant.

And then a flicker of something caught her attention, her mind picked up on the faintest trace of a thought wave, and she zoomed in on it, focusing all of her power on that minute detail.

'_You only have one chance to enter Eternity' a celestial man stood before her, his face so beautiful it was almost painful to gaze upon 'you can either spend your existence hiding, or enter the sanctuary of your own race, of your ancestry'_

'_But my husband' she whispered, her voice trembling slightly._

'_Your husband does not possess our power. Your husband may not enter.'_

'_But what if –' _

'_Death will fall upon him upon his attempt No mortal may pass. If you wish eternal safety for yourself and your daughter, if you wish to join those you are destined to be with, you may pass now. The barrier is open for those who know where to seek. Your power is the key.'_

'_Can I not return to him? Ever?'_

'_You may enter Eternity once, you may not return. It is the price of eternal sanctity.'_

She pulled away from her mother's mind as the memory faded, and felt as if an ice cold bucket of water had been thrown in her face.

'W-What was that?' she spluttered, not immediately registering the rage on her mother's face.

'YOU DID THIS' she screeched 'YOUR EXISTANCE DID THIS!'

'What was that?' Alina countered, demanding answers from her mother.

A dark chuckle emitted from her mother's throat, and her blue eyes narrowed with sheer hatred, distorting her features inhumanely, with disgust she spat in her daughter's face.

'Get away from me' she hissed.

Instead of arguing, Alina felt the familiar wave of numbness wash over her body, and barely registered Sirius protectively wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leading her from the room.

She surprised both herself and Sirius at demonstrating that her ability to apparate remained, as they appeared on Grimmauld Place's doorstep, both fully intact.

She wasn't even aware of her entire body shaking as she sunk into the comfort of an armchair once inside.

'You'll be fine' she heard Sirius tell her quietly.

'I know' she found herself replying, despite being very aware that she had returned to Grimmauld Place with a lot more questions than she had when she had left.

As she sat quietly, whilst Sirius made a cup of tea for them both, she pondered over the memory she had pulled from her mother.

The man with the beautiful face.

_Who the hell is he?_

**A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews, I'm glad you enjoyed the sorting and that it was Hufflepuff! Please keep reviewing, they really urge me to write :) and i hope you enjoyed this chapter!x**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

'Who even is this woman?'

A blonde haired boy sitting opposite Eve muttered in annoyance, speaking of the rather unattractive lady giving a speech to the occupants of the great hall; an admittedly rather tedious speech.

'I don't know, don't really care' a girl groaned in response 'but couldn't she bore us to death _after _we've had the feast?'

Hearing their quiet complaints soothed Eve's nerves, who up until that moment had felt as if she were steadily growing closer to hyperventilation. She had yet to be introduced to the entire school, something which she knew was coming, and despite the friendly smiles from those around her, she had not had time for any introductions.

She could still see the curious glances being sent her way by the other Hufflepuffs, and even from students sitting on the other house tables.

_Just keep breathing, just keep breathing._

'Jeeesus Christttt' the girl next to her sighed in agitation as five minutes later the woman did not seem any closer to finishing her speech.

'Piper!' a voice hissed in a thick Scottish accent, and Eve glanced at a rather pointy faced girl who was glaring angrily at the brunette beside her 'don't blaspheme!'

'_Don't blaspheme!' _a boy opposite mimicked, causing his friends to snigger slightly.

'Sorry Gwen' the girl replied lightly, not sounding even remotely sincere.

A rather half-hearted trickle of applause interrupted Eve's eavesdropping and indicated the end of the speech, as Dumbledore once again took to standing before them all.

'Thank you very much Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating.'

'Illuminating my arse' the girl snorted once again.

'Piper!'

'Sorry' she groaned, rolling her eyes.

'Now, as I was saying, we have the pleasure of welcoming a new student this year'

Eve flinched at the sound of shifting as every person in the room immediately turned their heads to face her.

'Eve Black will be entering her fourth year and has already been sorted into Hufflepuff, I know that you will all make her feel at home –'

Dumbledore's words were futile, absorbed by the frenzied whispering that spread through the great hall like wild fire.

'_Black?'_

'_Did he say Black?'_

'_Do you think –'_

'_- but she couldn't be?'_

'_Sirius Black?'_

Every atom in Eve's body told her to flee. To find the nearest escape route and run, but instead she ignored the way her heart thudded painfully fast, and the cold sweat that had formed a thin coat across her brow; she was not ashamed of her father.

'Oi EVE!' a familiar voice bellowed across the great hall, creating a break in the whispering as everyone, including Eve, turned to the source of the noise.

_George Weasley._

'THEY HAVEN'T BEEN THIS SHOCKED SINCE HARRY TURNED UP!'

'-YOU'RE NEARLY AS INTERESTING AS THE BOY WHO LIVED!' Fred piped up, a wide grin spread across his face, and Eve couldn't help the twitch of her lips.

'You know the Weasley twins?' the girl next to her turned to face her, her green eyes alight with curiosity.

'Erm…yeah' Eve replied, her voice slightly gruff due to the dryness in her throat.

'That's cool' she shrugged 'seventh years don't tend to have much to do with us fourth years…especially the popular ones, I'm Piper by the way…Doris Piper, hence why I do not go by my first name'

Eve blinked for a moment as her mind took a second to absorb the chatter of the girl, Piper.

'And so…you're Eve?' she continued, urging for a response.

'Yeah' Eve smiled, feeling stupid at having nothing interesting to add.

'Cool, well I'm guessing you'll be in my dorm, there's only a few of us Hufflepuff girls in fourth year, we've got quite a bunch of boys' she rolled her eyes.

'Oh come on Pip, don't pretend you don't love being one of the few girls…being a minority gives you half a chance of getting a boyfriend' the blonde boy opposite grinned wickedly, earning a potato being aimed at his head by Piper.

'That's my girl' he gawfled, earning a few snorts of laughter from the boys sitting beside him.

'That idiot's Elias' Piper informed her, indicating the blonde boy 'and the two baboons either side of him are Davey' she nodded towards a dark haired, blue eyed boy 'and Patrick' she indicated the lighter haired boy on the right.

'Hello' Eve smiled, feeling incredibly awkward.

'How come you're only starting this year?' Patrick asked her, leaning across the table and piling a heap of mashed potatoes onto his plate.

'I – I've been home schooled up until now, but I really wanted to come to Hogwarts…so here I am' she told him lamely, sounding ridiculous even to herself.

'Well it's about time, we've needed something good to look at in Hufflepuff for a long while' Davey grinned, earning a glare from Piper, and causing a deep blush to creep up Eve's neck.

'Ignore him…in fact, if you want a bit of advice, ignore all of them' Piper told her 'my mum said boys tend to mature later than girls…and these lot seem determined to prove her right.'

'Oh don't go getting all pious on us, _Doris' _Patrick taunted 'you sound like Gwen'

'_Excuse me' _an icy tone cut in, as the pointy faced girl, whom Eve took to be Gwen, narrowed her eyes at the boys, before her glance flickered to Eve and grew slightly darker.

Eve tried smiling at the girl, but to no avail, as Gwen turned decidedly away from her, refusing to acknowledge her existence.

_What a strange girl._

* * *

><p>The feast continued merrily, and Piper's friendly banter seemed to almost cloud the continued whispering and stares the remained focused on her for the entirety of the evening.<p>

'First years, please follow me!' Gwen sounded loud and clear over the scraping sounds of people moving to make their way to the dormitories.

'I – erm –' Eve began, feeling slightly lost and unsure as of where she was supposed to go.

'I suppose you'll have to come with me too' Gwen informed her cooly, barely sparing her a glance, before turning on her heel and leading the group of incredibly tiny students away.

'Ignore her' Piper told her, making a rude hand gesture at the Gwen's retreating figure 'I'll show you the way to the common room.'

Thankful for the kindness, Eve allowed Piper to lead the way through the winding passages of the castle, far too tired to marvel at the ancient suits of armour and lively portraits that decored the walls. They walked down three flights of stairs until they reached a room of what seemed to be a cellar, filled with barrels.

They joined the crowd of students, huddled around the pile of barrels and Eve watched in surprise as Gwen, whom stood at the forefront of the group, tapped five of the wooden barrows and three sprang forward, revealing a doorway.

'Remember the combination' Gwen told the first year students beside her 'otherwise you will not be able to gain entrance into the common room.'

The common room could only be described as homely. Large armchairs surrounded a huge fireplace already alight with a fire. The walls, draped with Hufflepuff banners of yellow and black also held a few portraits who were currently chattering with each other, clearly discussing the new students entering the room.

'What d'you think?' Piper asked her.

'It's…brilliant!' Eve replied, earning a beaming smile.

'Piper!'

'Pip!'

As they made their way through the common room, various students called out to Piper in greeting, all to whom the girl stopped and chatted with animatedly.

_She has so many friends._

'This is Eve' Piper had introduced her over and over, and despite rather questioning glances and hesitant responses, everyone had been friendly.

'Come on, I'll show you our dorm' Piper told her after a while, bidding a few people goodnight and leading her to a nearby staircase.

They climbed two flights of stairs before they reached a bright yellow curtain, covering their dormitory door.

'And this is where you'll be staying' Piper explained, as they entered a room containing four rather grand beds.

Two girls already inhabited the room, both of who had frozen mid conversation and were out right staring at Eve.

'Hello' Eve smiled awkwardly.

'Hi' one girl replied quickly, tying her blonde hair into a high ponytail, 'I'm off to bed, good night girls'

The girl climbed into the nearest bed and drew the curtains around it.

'Well…good night?' Piper called, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

'That was Anastasia and I'm Althea' the petite black haired girl who remained greeted her 'and you must be Eve…we thought you'd be in our dorm; we saw the extra bed.'

'I was telling Eve we're glad to have another girl here, we don't have the best ratio'

'And have you heard about Jodie?' Althea asked, her eyes alight with the excitement of her story.

'Erm…no?'

'She's left Hogwarts, her mum's sent her to Beauxbaton's!'

'No! Why would she do that? Jodie loves it here…' Piper frowned.

'Apparently her mum had a real big issue with coming back here after what happened to Cedric' her voice softened at the mention of the name, and Eve's ears pricked with interest 'her mum's a Potter supporter, reckons it's all been a massive cover-up by the ministry and wanted to get away before You-Know-Who comes back…the whole family has moved to France-'

'Wow' Piper whistled 'well even if Potter is telling the truth, there's no safer place than Hogwarts –'

'Do you think he is? I mean…' Althea dropped her voice 'my Gran thinks he might of lost the plot a little bit…Rita Skeeter says –'

'Oh come on Althea' Piper scoffed 'you can't believe anything Skeeter says, and she's been off the radar all summer! Maybe Potter has lost it, but at the end of the day Cedric didn't just drop dead did he –'

'Why don't we just ask _Eve_?' Anastasia's voice sounded, slightly muffled from behind her curtains, and Eve's head jerked up in surprise as the girls head poked out from her bed.

'Sorry?' she frowned.

'Well your dad will know if he's back won't he? I mean…he's that sort'

'I don't know what you're talking about' Eve replied quietly, feeling slightly dizzy at the coldness of the girl's words.

'Well aren't you a _Black?'_ she asked.

'Shut up Ana' Piper snapped, causing the girl to once again disappear behind her curtains.

'Just ignore her' Althea told Eve quietly 'her mother's pretty high up in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement so…well it's not an excuse, but that's why she's being…like that – ' she finished lamely, nodding towards Anastasia's bed.

'And her father –'Piper began, but after a sharp look from Althea she slammed her mouth shut.

'It's fine' Eve replied softly, ignoring the threat of tears burning behind her eyes. She knew this was what to expect, but it was all too much…it was incredibly intense being thrust into Hogwart's and the girl's words had stung

'I…erm…I think I'm going to go to sleep, it's been a long day'

She caught the concerned glances from both Piper and Althea but she forced a smile, and bid them both good night, before falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning, it had taken Eve a moment before she realised where she was. She had risen early, and found that Piper was already up and dressed.<p>

'Ah good you're awake' the girl grinned 'I've already been out for a ride' she held up her broom.

Eve had showered and dressed in a matter of minutes. Feeling slightly experimental, she brushed a light amount of bronzing powder on her cheeks, just as Ginny had shown her, and added a coat of mascara to lengthen her eyelashes.

_Done._

Letting out a sigh, she left the bathroom and came out to join Piper.

'The others are still asleep, there's no getting Althea out of bed until the last minute. Let's go down to the Common Room where we can talk properly' she half whispered, flashing another grin and spinning on her toes, marching from the room.

They sat on two of the armchairs in the common room, amongst only a handful of other students.

'I always wake up early, I like to get in a ride before breakfast otherwise I just get too restless' Piper explained 'and I want to make sure I'm ready for try outs'

'Try outs?' Eve asked.

'For the house quidditch team, I got on the team last year but you have to re-try out each year…do you play?'

'Quidditch?' Eve asked 'oh, no' she shook her head.

'Well you should, it's brilliant' Piper stated, and Eve smiled, reminded of the countless conversations that had taken place in Grimmauld Place about the sport.

'-I don't care if her dad's a loony, she can be a nutter too as far as I'm concerned, it still don't change the fact that she's fit' a male voice echoed from the boys staircase interrupting their conversation, and causing Eve's blood to run cold.

'She seems quite nice anyway, and he's got a point mate, looking like that she can be related to the biggest psycho on the planet and get away with it –'

'- well to be fair, she kinda is. I mean do you reckon she's actually related to _Sirius Black –' _

Eve, Piper, and the rest of those occupying the common room had turned to the sound of the voices, and as the speakers came into sight, they froze mid conversation.

The three boys from the feast stood at the foot of the staircase, staring directly at her with identical looks of mortification on their faces.

'Morning boys' Piper's jolly voice broke the silence 'I should start making bets on how long it will take for you to put your feet in your mouths –'

'Morning Pip' Elias grimaced, before glancing at Eve apologetically 'erm – sorry about that Eve we were just –'

'It's fine' Eve quickly told him, smiling warmly despite the iciness of her insides 'good morning'

A few minutes later Althea came bounding down the staircase, her long black hair in a neat plait.

'Come on guys, breakfast!' she demanded, leading them all out of the common room.

On her way to breakfast Eve was followed by whispers, but managed to ignore them by taking in her surroundings, she stared in wonder at each portrait, the splendour of the wide sweeping staircases and regal looking banners, and once at the Hufflepuff table she stared up at the ceiling, amazed at the bright blue sky.

'You gunna eat that?' Patrick jerked her away from her thoughts, pointing at a sausage remaining on her plate, she shook her head and he reached over, taking it from her plate.

'That is _so _rude' Althea shook her head at him and he grinned back at her, his mouth filled with food 'urgh.'

After they had been handed their class timetables, and Eve had listened as Piper complained at the shared charms class with the Slytherins, a flurry of owls had swooped into the room, and Eve had beamed as a large black owl landed before her, holding out its leg with a letter for her and she immediately recognised her mother's writing.

_Eve,_

_Hufflepuff! Congratulations! Me and Padfoot are very proud of you, and hope you're settling in well!  
>We don't want to bother you too much, but know that you can write to us whenever you want to.<br>I hope everyone's nice, and if they're not…well I'm sure Ginny's shown you how to cast a decent bat bogey hex (but don't tell Dumbledore I suggested that.)  
>We're all thinking about you here, enjoy your classes.<br>Send my love to everyone_

_Mum_

_Ps: Padfoot said to remind the twins that he's waiting for a toilet seat – from the prefect's bathroom?_

Eve smiled as she finished the letter, and glanced over at the Gryffindor table. It had to have been Harry who told them, but for once she didn't feel irritated at him; she felt thankful.

He must have sensed that he was being watched, because suddenly Eve's grey eyes were met by his piercing green ones, slightly questioning.

She smiled at him, a true and honest smile.

She watched as he registered the look, she watched his eyes widen with surprise and then he smiled kindly back at her.

* * *

><p>'All right Evie!'<p>

Eve let out a squeak of surprise as the voice sounded behind her, and she jumped round in alarm.

'George! Don't _do _that!' she scolded him lightly, clutching her chest.

'Sorry' he grinned, and she felt the infectious curving of her lips.

'This is Piper' she quickly introduced the girl beside her after receiving a sharp nudge.

'All right Piper…say, have you tried a canary cream before –'

'-George, stop it!' Eve interrupted him before he could pull out a canary cream from his cloak.

'Maybe another time then' he shrugged at Piper 'I just thought I'd catch you and see how everything's going?'

Eve's entire face lit up at the question, it was her third day at Hogwarts and having got used to the whispers that seemed to follow her, she could not have been happier.

'- and in Charms I got the spell right _first time!_ I've never done magic like this before!' she gushed.

'What do you mean magic _like this?'_ Piper asked suspiciously, and Eve's mouth dropped open slightly in alarm.

'You need to be careful Eve, if you carry on like this you'll end up on the path _Ron's _taking' George interrupted, ignoring the question 'a _prefect'_ he whispered, his face contorted with disgust.

Eve shook her head at him but couldn't help but laugh.

'Anyway where are you off to now?' he asked.

'Defence Against the Dark Arts' Piper answered 'it's our first one of the year.'

'Urgh' George pulled a face 'good luck! Umbridge is…well…Umbridge makes Quirrell look like a saint!' he shook his head.

'Yeah, we've heard' Piper grimaced 'anyway we better be off Eve, we don't want to be late.'

They waved their goodbyes, and moved swiftly down the corridor, finding the correct room and taking a seat in the middle.

The door swung open once again and the stout brown haired woman who had given the speech at the welcome feast bustled into the room. Immediately the class fell silent, as the woman stood central to them all, her face beaming around.

_Darkness._

Eve shuddered at the overwhelming sense of darkness that seemed to leak out of the woman. She had not experienced such an aura since she had escaped from the Malfoy Manor.

Something about this woman, she did not what exactly, made her feel uncomfortable.

She shifted in her seat, frowning as unease flooded through her.

'Good Afternoon everybody! Wands away and quills out please!'

A collective groan echoed through the class.

'Quills out is never a good omen' Althea whispered to her.

'Maybe it won't be too bad?' Eve suggested, and heard Piper scoff at her suggestion.

'Miss Black!' Professor Umbridge's girly voice grew a steely edge as she snapped 'something to add?'

'N-No Professor' Eve stuttered, blushing at having been singled out.

'No _Proffessor Umbridge'_ the woman corrected, with a smile that did not reach her eyes.

'No Professor Umbridge' Eve corrected, feeling her cheeks darken to a shade of crimson.

'Good' Professor Umbridge beamed, clasping her hands neatly before her and observing the entire class with her rather bulbous eyes 'now, this year we will be following a carefully structured theory centred, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic.'

'Try and say that three times –'Elias commented, and a few people sniggered.

'Sorry, you seem to have left the rest of us out of the little joke Mr Matthews, do share?'

The class fell silent at Professor Umbridge's comment, and Elias looked around nervously.

'Sorry' he mumbled.

'Sorry _what _Mr Matthews?'

'Sorry Professor Umbridge' he replied through gritted teeth, earning a wide smile from the Professor.

'That is perfectly fine Mr Matthews, and I look forward to reading all about your views on 'when comedy is appropriate' in the essay you shall be writing me. I'd like three feet of parchment on the topic for Monday please.'

The lesson continued in a similar fashion, and Eve felt her discomfort at the woman's proximity only steadily increase as the Professor's eyes seemingly kept hovering on her.

The fourth time Eve felt the familiar sensation of eyes burning into her head she jerked her head up and met the woman's gaze, refusing to look away.

For a split second there was no movement by either party, until a slow smile crept upon Professor Umbridge's face and her eyes narrowed slightly.

'Miss Black' she spoke softly, yet Eve felt a cold shiver run down her spine 'it seems that we are both in the same shoes this year, being new to the school! I'd very much like it if you'd join me for a cup of tea in my office this evening – I'd like to hear how you're settling into the school…seven o'clock – don't be late, dear' she added.

* * *

><p>When the lesson was over, it seemed that there was quite a battle to leave the classroom first, as the students hurried for the freedom of the corridor.<p>

'_Three feet for Monday!'_ Eve heard Elias groan.

'At least you don't have to have tea with her tonight' Piper remarked, throwing a sympathetic glance at Eve, whose stomach had lurched at the reminder.

She was many things, but stupid was not one of them, and Eve was under no illusion that she would be enjoying a conversation about settling into Hogwarts.

She let out a heavy breath and tried her best to ignore the tight knot that had formed in her stomach as they made their way to herbology.

After dinner that evening, Eve dawdled back to the common room with Althea and Piper, her expression stony and her stomach clenching with nerves.

'It might be all right?' Althea suggested, to which Piper let out an extremely unladylike snort.

Eve just shrugged.

Over dinner they had heard of other horror stories from 'Umbridge experiences' and Eve had left feeling even more deflated than she had previously over the evening that lay ahead.

'I can't believe about Potter' Piper grinned 'Parvarti Patel was saying that he yelled at Umbridge –'

Piper's story about Harry was lost on Eve's ears, which were experiencing a strange humming sound and her entire body had lost sensation.

As they had turned the corner, nearing the staircase, three approaching boys had come into sight.

But only one of those boys had caught her attention.

_White Blonde hair, cool grey eyes and a bored, arrogant expression…_

'Draco' the words slipped almost silently from her lips.

'Eve? What's wrong?' Althea had interrupted Piper's story, her dark eyes alight with concern.

Her mouth was too dry to respond, she was unsure whether her mind was even capable of forming words.

She hadn't realised that she had stopped moving, but her legs suddenly felt too heavy to move, she felt completely frozen; it was as if time itself was standing still.

'Eve?' She jumped as Piper's loud voice penetrated her daze and tore her eyes from Draco's approaching form 'what's up?'

'I can't…'

'You can't _what?'_

_I can't be here. I can't do this. I can't lose him…_

She wasn't too sure exactly what she couldn't do, and her voice cut off as Draco's eyes connected with her own. He had seen her.

He said something quietly to his two large companions, and both immediately looked at her with identical smirks on their faces.

He sauntered towards her, his face no longer void of emotion but a dark glint gleamed ominously from his icy pupils, his lips twisted upwards into a feral snarl; every aspect of his demeanor oozed predator.

Eve gulped, attempting to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.

In a matter of seconds he was standing directly before her, and Eve sensed the discomfort seeping from Althea and Piper who stood confused beside her.

'Get out of the way _Blood Traitor' _Draco hissed, looking coldly down at her.

'_What?' _Eve asked, confused by his words.

'You heard, _Black' _he replied 'It still bemuses me how people of _your kind _are allowed in this school.'

Eve was gobsmacked.

_He's actually going to pretend I'm a stranger. He's really going to do this…_

Her nerves were invaded by a flicker of anger.

'Hey! Leave her alone!' Piper shouted, the slight tremble in her voice betraying her fear.

'I suppose if Dumbledore didn't allow Blood Traitor's in, then the _Mudbloods _wouldn't have anyone to associate with' he continued, eyeing Piper pointedly before his lips curled in disgust.

Piper's face burned with embarrassment, and her mouth clamped tightly shut.

'Move' one of the larger boys grunted, and Eve glared at the boy angrily.

'There's plenty of room for you to get past' she snapped.

'How dare you speak like that –' Draco began, but she interrupted him.

'- Draco –' she began, and his face grew even paler as she spoke his name.

'Your filthy lips have no right to speak my name, Black' he growled darkly, although Eve caught the slight break in his tone, and roughly pushing past her he continued down the corridor without even a glance back.

'Draco!' she shouted after him, unsure whether she wanted to yell at him or plead with him, but her calls were futile.

She watched him disappear around the corner, her stomach twisted with conflicting emotions; sadness, yearning and anger.

'Eve…what was that about?' Althea asked in a small voice, the girl clearly shaken up by the exchange.

'It was…' Eve began, but her words trailed off.

_What could she say? How could she explain?_

'Nothing' she finished lamely 'it was nothing. I – I better go now, don't want to be late for Umbridge.' She forced a small smile, and left the two girls standing in the corridor before they could ask any more questions.

* * *

><p>'Come in!' the high pitched voice called after Eve had knocked on Umbridge's office door 'oh, Miss Black! Lovely!' the woman clapped her hands together at Eve's appearance.<p>

'Do take a seat…would you like some tea?'

Hesitating slightly, Eve took a seat in a rather overly cushioned chair, and allowed her eyes to sweep around the room, which to her distaste seemed to consist of cats, and the colour pink.

Her eyes quickly returned to her teacher, who had not waited for a response and was currently pouring tea into a teacup, which unsurprisingly was decorated with a fluffy white kitten.

'I don't drink tea…' Eve began hesitantly, eyeing the cup being handed to her warily.

'Oh don't be silly dear' Umbridge chuckled, still amazing Eve with the lack of amusement reaching the woman's eyes 'I can assure you my tea is very nice…now tell me about how your first week has been so far?'

Eve reached out and took the teacup, and as her hands connected with the china she took in a sharp intake of breath. I jolt of electricity had shot through her fingertips, causing her to almost drop the cup with the sudden shock. Her stomach began to contort with discomfort and with all the effort she possessed she rested the saucer on her knees in an attempt to steady her shaking hands.

_What was that?_

'It's been good…really good thanks' she replied awkwardly 'how about you?'

'Oh it's been very interesting' Umbridge replied, showing her pointy teeth as she smiled expectantly at her 'drink up, dear'

Eve glanced down at the cup in her hands and back up at the woman, the discomfort in her stomach tightening its grasp on her until she felt as though her insides were suffocating.

'I'm just waiting for it to cool down' she mumbled, feeling her eyes stray to the doorway.

_Why do I feel so trapped?_

She found herself desperate for an escape, unsure of why she felt so strongly she forced herself to remain seated, ignoring the instinct to run from the room.

A layer of sweat formed along the back of her neck.

She was hot. Uncomfortably hot.

'Oh let me help you' her smile widened and with a flick of her wand she continued speaking 'a little cooling charm, the tea should be perfectly fine now. So, how are you finding being separated from your family? I understand you were home schooled previously?'

It was a perfectly honest question, but the intensity of Umbridge's gaze and the darkness of her pupils as they burned into her own convinced her otherwise. There was only one reason she had invited her to her office, there was only one topic she truly wished to discuss.

'It's just me and my mum…and it's hard being away from her, but I'm glad to be here' she replied, smiling and raising the cup to her lips.

'Argh' she suddenly spluttered, as the breath shot from her body as if someone had punched her in the gut. Severely winded she stared up in shock at Umbridge who was narrowing her eyes in confusion.

'What _is _the matter Miss Black?' she demanded impatiently.

'I don't –' she began, but let out another gasp of breath. Her finger tips were burning, it felt as if her hands were literally on fire, blistering her skin. Her hands shook, every instinct in her told her to drop whatever she was holding and to find ice to sooth the pain.

'Miss Black!' Umbridge snapped, as Eve slammed the tea back onto her desk, causing a portion of the contents to spill.

'S-sorry!' Eve spluttered, in shock. The second the cup had left her grasp, the minute she had freed her hands, the pain had instantly ceased.

She eyed the cup once again, glancing up at her professor.

'What's in the tea Professor?' she asked shakily, the question leaving her lips before she had a chance to stop herself.

'Excuse me, Miss Black?' Umbridge asked icily, no longer feigning kindness 'stop being so utterly ridiculous, there are only tea leaves, water and milk.'

'N-No, it wasn't' she replied, the calculated expression in the woman's eyes confirming that what she was saying was the truth.

Something in her, perhaps her magic, perhaps simply her unconscious, told her not to drink the tea…told her something wasn't right, she felt the trendles of her magic pushing forward, begging to be released as if some kind of magnetic force was absorbing them.

'Miss Black, you have come into my office and not only proved to be rude, but inconsiderate about my belongings, you have spilt your drink everywhere-'

'You put something in my drink! What did you put in it!' Eve demanded, anger replacing her discomfort, and the waves of magic grew in intensity, the power shivering delisciously through her.

'Do not making accusations that are entirely impossible –'

Making a snap decision, Eve allowed the magic to release and with a gush the waves of electricity jolted forwards. Eve was surprised by the weakness of the barrier she was met with. In less than a second she had entered the woman's mind, in only a second more she had seen the potion being placed into her drink and the intention behind her actions.

_Find Sirius Black._

She withdrew from the woman with a gasp, and ignored the dull ache in her head as she sprang up from her seat.

'I do not know where my Father is…I have never met the man' she told the woman blandly, narrowing her eyes 'so there is no need at all for you to put something in my drink. I don't know _what _it was but-'

'MISS BLACK!' Umbridge's high pitched voice bellowed, cutting her off 'I will NOT be spoken to in such a manner! DETENTION! And fifteen points from Hufflepuff!' she spat, before standing, smoothing down the front of her plaid suit and politely clearing her throat.

'I shall see you again Friday evening' she continued in a simpering tone, dismissing Eve from her room.

_Stupid, idiotic TOAD _Eve seethed, as she stormed down the corridor and finally came to a halt in front of Hufflepuff common room.

'Detention _already' _she groaned to herself.

_At Least Dad will be proud._

_**A/N: It's taken me forever to write this and i am so sorry. Introducing Eve to Hogwarts required a lot of space and therefore I couldn't really get as much as i wanted into this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it but please let me know if you think it's a bit boring and i'll do my best to change that! Thank you for your continued support it means the world xxx**_


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen:**_  
><em>

_Alina revelle__d in the soft sensation of moss between her toes. With her nose she inhaled deeply, savouring the sweet scent of woodland aroma and as she opened her eyes she gasped as the familiar surrounding was revealed to her. _

_Once again she found herself transfixed at the sight of the Godly Temple before her, and she immediately felt the enticing pull from deep within her, coercing her to approach it._

'_No' she whispered to herself, remembering what had happened to the Death Eater before._

'_That will not happen to you'_

_It wasn't until she heard the voice that she realised she was not alone, and she span around in alarm to find a familiar face…a serene, unearthly face…_

'_You only have one chance to enter Eternity' a celestial man stood before her, his face so beautiful it was almost painful to gaze upon 'you can either spend your existence hiding, or enter the sanctuary of your own race, of your ancestry'_

_'__But Sirius' she whispered, frowning as the words left her mouth for they were not her own._

_'__He does not possess our power. He may not enter.'_

_'__But what if –' once again the words left her mouth before she knew what she was saying._

_'__Death will fall upon him upon his attempt No mortal may pass. If you wish eternal safety for yourself and your daughter, if you wish to join those you are destined to be with, you may pass now. The barrier is open for those who know where to seek. Your power is the key.'_

_'__Can I not return to him? Ever?' something clicked in her mind, she had heard these words before…it was as if an old record was replaying in her mind…_

_'__You may enter Eternity once, you may not return. It is the price of eternal sanctity.'_

Alina awoke with a jolt, startling the sleeping form beside her.

'_Sirius!' _she hissed.

'Wha –' his sleepy voice groaned, rolling over and back into a slumber.

'Sirius!' she raised her voice.

'Hmm yeah, yeah' he mumbled.

'Sirius!' she combined her shout with a sharp dig to his ribs and smirked slightly as the heavy frame beside her yelped and sprung upright.

'Ouch!' he moaned 'what's the matter?'

She paused for a moment as she watched the tiredness flitter away and for concern to cloud his eyes.

'I had a dream'

'Erm…okay?'

'It was exactly the same as the vision I saw in my mum's mind…but I was in my mum's place…and…and…oh I don't know, I'm probably just being silly.'

Sirius pulled himself up and turned to her, leaning on his elbow for support and taking one of her hands into his own.

'But you didn't feel like it was _just a dream' _it wasn't a question, and she shook her head.

'It felt so real' she frowned, and looked up at Sirius 'I _need_ to find that Temple'

'_We _need to find that Temple.' He corrected her, lowering his face and gently bringing his lips to meet her own.

Her stomach lurched at the sensation, and she felt herself melt into his arms. It did not matter that so many years had passed, that he was no longer the handsome, carefree boy she had fallen for as a teenager, as soon as his lips touched her own she was thrown back to the seventeen year old girl she had been when they had first begun.

The years had been harsh to them, they had taken their friends, their youth, their trust and often their sanity, but one thing had remained through it all, one thing had never wavered or diminished; their love.

Their love remained unconditional.

* * *

><p>Sirius entered the dining room, tucking the letter he had just received from his daughter into his pocket, his eyes sparkling slightly with humour.<p>

'I _knew _she wasn't a normal _Hufflepuff' _he announced brightly, causing Alina to frown and Molly to tut.

'She's where she's supposed to be, Sirius' Arthur told him steadily, earning a smile from Alina.

'Well she's got herself her first detention!' Sirius grinned.

'_What!' _Alina gasped, trying to imagine how her placid daughter could have already earned a punishment, and held her hand out for the letter.

'Oh if Fred and George have something to do with this…' Molly muttered darkly.

Alina snatched the letter from Sirius' outstretched hand and scanned it quickly, frowning as she read her daughter's words.

'Oh, come on Alli! In seventh year we got a detention on our first night!' Sirius continued to grin.

'That's because you were being a massive idiot!' she snapped, her lips twitching 'but it just seems a bit strange, she's far too vague in this letter…it doesn't seem right.'

Sirius sobered at her words.

'What do you mean 'it doesn't seem right?'' he demanded.

'I don't know' Alina shook her head 'I just think there's more to this Umbridge character than she's letting on…'

'Umbridge, did you say?' Remus interrupted.

'Yeah, she's working at Hogwarts – the new D.A.D.A teacher, why? D'you know her?' Sirius asked.

'Know her? She's big on the anti-werewolf side of the 'fair treatment' argument. _Hates _'half breeds'' he replied bitterly 'Why she would be working at Hogwarts, I don't know.'

'Hmmm' Alina pondered, pursing her lips.

'Well we can ask Eve next time we speak to her…or Harry' Sirius reasoned, although his expression was one of agitation 'but for now…let's get down to business.'

They all made sounds of agreement, and the group, Sirius, Alina, Remus, Molly and Arthur, all turned to the wooden table and crowded around the large map of the world that was spread across its surface.

'Are you ready for this?' Remus asked, turning to Alina, who nodded with an expression that was far more confident than what she was actually feeling.

'I'm ready' she told him 'oh, and I thought this might help…'

From her robes, she pulled out a small velvet bag, out of which she poured a pair of earings into her hand.

'They're my mother's' Alina explained 'What? It's not like she's going to be using them' she added.

'Alli…why would you –'

'Apparently it helps to have something connecting you to what you're searching for when you Scry…after I saw that memory in her mind…well she's our only connection to that Temple' she shrugged 'and we _need _to get to that Temple before Voldemort gets whatever it is he wants from it…'

'What do we need to do?' Molly asked her.

'Nothing really' Alina replied, studying the map. 'Just keep your eyes open…I'm going to take a minute to concentrate, I'll hold the earings in my hand and scan it over the map…I'm hoping I'll pick something up.'

'So if you hover over a particular area...we mark it, right?' Remus clarified, and Alina nodded.

'Okay let's do this' she breathed, holding the diamond earings tightly in the palm of her hand.

She closed her eyes, concentrating on her breathing.

_In, Out, In, Out…_

She pictured her mother's face, so similar to her own. She remembered her mother's memory, the angelic face of the beautiful stranger...

Slowly, she guided her hand over her map.

She remembered the feeling of the moss on her feet, the smell of the nature surrounding her and the compelling attraction of the ancient Temple.

_In, out, in, out._

Suddenly a sharp electrical pulse shot through her fingers, causing her to gasp in surprise, but she did not lose her concentration, instead she focused on that small vibration.

She relaxed her entire body and allowed the miniscule vibration, barely detectable now in her fingertips, to lead her hand, guiding it forward…to the right…

_It's too weak…I can't feel…_

She concentrated on the memory of the Temple, the sound of her mother's voice, of the stranger's calming tone…it was as if she were once again standing in the Rainforest…

A powerful jolt shot her hand to the opposite end of the map, her eyes flew open and she no longer found herself in Grimmauld Place, but instead directly before the Temple, in the company of the familiar stranger.

She gazed in awe, and fear, as the golden stranger extended his hand towards the commanding doorway.

'Don't touch that!' she cried, suddenly terrified for the stranger.

The man simply smiled at her, his eyes shining and his aura exuding a bright glow.

'_Your power is the key' _

She was unsure whether he had spoken the words himself, for they seemed to entwine in the very air surrounding them, caressing her like a warm breeze…she was unsure whether she had even heard them, for it was as if she had felt them, deep within her…

'Are you all right? Alli?'

The dull wooden panels and ancient portraits dusting the room caused a shiver of disgust to run through her in the wake of the beauty she had just witnessed.

She blinked.

Once.

Twice.

A third time.

'Alli…is this the place?' Arthur asked gently, and she stared in surprise at her extended arm, held steadily out in front of her, and hovering directly above a tiny speck on the map.

'Huh' Molly breathed, her eyebrows raising.

'What is it?'

'Frayne's Island' Molly informed her 'located in the Bermuda Triangle…well I suppose that does make sense…'

'Make sense?' Sirius frowned.

'Honestly, Sirius, you'd think you were a first year!' Molly shook her head.

'In case you weren't aware Molly, there was a full scale war surfacing whilst I was at school…not to mention being part of that war from the age of seventeen' he snapped.

'Let's get back to the topic' Alina interrupted archly.

'The Bermuda Triangle is an area of incredibly strong magical heritage, philosophers have been researching the area for years to establish where the power source originates from – many of the islands there naturally repel Muggles, whilst others even hold repelling magic against Witches and Wizards…so it would make sense for something which appears to hold intense magic. –'

'- to be in an area of intense magic' Sirius nodded, thoughtfully.

'So…Frayne's Island.' Alina spoke slowly, raising her eyes to meet those before her 'what do you bet that's one of the ones that repels Witches and Wizards as well?'

The grimaces were enough to confirm her suspicions.

'We need to call Dumbledore to arrange and Order meeting' Arthur stated.

Finding Frayne's Island was not going to be easy.

* * *

><p>'Are you sure you need to go, dear?'<p>

'Mum, I'm a _Curse Breaker, _I need to go more than anyone!' Bill sighed, shaking his head at his mother.

'Molly, he'll be fine' Arthur tried to appease his wife, to little success.

'I've arranged the Port Key – it will leave in one minute, as soon as you arrive it is essential that you apparate onwards so as not to be caught – an unarranged cross boarder apparition will not be welcomed by the Bermuda Ministry.' Dumbledore informed them, holding out a tattered looking book to Mad-Eye.

As everyone placed a hand on the book, they turned to Dumbledore who was watching them gravely.

'I wish I could tell you exactly what to expect, but this magic is ancient, and unknown' his eyes flickered across their faces 'but I know you will be fine, you all know the plan – good luck!'

The last thing they saw was the concerned expressions of the Order members, before the world span around them and they were pulled harshly from their feet.

Alina landed gracefully in a heap on the ground, letting out a winded 'oomph' and groaning.

'Nice one' she heard Sirius grin 'come on, we need to move on'

She bit back an acid retort, and scrambled to her feet, nodding to her companions before turning on the spot and once again disappearing with a unanimous CRACK.

'Is everyone here?' Moody's voice growled, and a chorus of disgruntled 'yeses' replied.

Alina, this time having managed to land upright, gazed around at their surroundings.

The greenery was outstanding, a disarray of colours entwined amongst one another almost coating each of the colossal tree trunks with their lush vibrancy, the ground was rocky, signalling that they were not deep in the clutches of the rainforest, and this was supporting by the distant sound of crashing waves.

But it was not the beauty of the location that struck Alina, instead it was the sensation. The air was thick with electricity which seemed to flow in tendles across the surface of her skin, causing her hairs to stand on end, tickling slightly. She could almost see the waves of magic gently flowing around them in a kind of dance.

Despite the heat of the mid-morning sun bearing down upon them, it was a different warmth that seemed to spread from the very ground they were standing on and up into her chest.

'_Can you feel that?' _Sirius whispered.

_What a stupid question, of course I can feel it…_

'It feels –'

'- wonderful –'

' – horrible –'

Alina's eyes flickered open and she stared in surprise at her companions as three voices contradicted her own.

'Horrible?' she questioned with surprise.

'Can't you…can't you feel that, Alli?' Sirius shuddered, and Alina examined the three faces before her, all of which were strangely pale and clammy.

Even Moody looked uncomfortable as his mouth pulled into a deep grimace and his scars seemed to protrude hideously.

'Of course I can _feel _it…it feels nice!' she replied, confused.

'Well at least that supports Dumbledore's theory' Bill stated soberly, his jaw clenched 'Alina's accepted here…we on the other hand –'

'- are not' Sirius completed.

'We're not even on the right island' Bill continued grimly 'we better get moving to the shoreline'

'Which way, d'you think?' Sirius asked.

_Which way? _Alina blinked _Is he being serious?_

'I'm not too sure' Bill shrugged 'most likely in that direction…it looks as though the jungle is thinning out a little –'

Alina frowned again as Bill pointed in the direction of a trail which was a tangled abyss of plants.

'Erm…are you joking?' she finally asked, waiting to see the humour in their faces, instead they all blinked at her.

'This is neither the time nor place for jokes, Blake' Moody growled.

'But surely that's the worst direction to go in?' she argued 'it's way too thick, we could barely get through! And anyway you can literally hear the ocean from over there!' she pointed in the opposite direction.

'Alli – what the hell are you talking about? There's no way in hell we could get through that wa –' Sirius began to argue.

'- Alina, what do you mean you can hear the ocean?' Bill interrupted.

'I mean what I said, I can hear the ocean just over there…can't – can't you?' she questioned.

Their blank expressions told her that they couldn't and her forehead creased with confusion. Bill's face, however, had entirely lit up.

'Brilliant' he muttered 'absolutely brilliant!'

'What's brilliant, boy?' Moody demanded, growing restless.

'The magic…their magic!' Bill announced 'to repel Muggles, Witches and Wizards!'

When nobody appeared to understand his meaning Bill sighed and began to explain.

'When we arrived here we felt discomfort, and cold, and danger' he looked at Sirius and Moody who nodded 'but Alina felt 'wonderful'…we can see a clearer path in _that _direction' he indicated to his left 'but Alina can hear the ocean over there! It's magic! The island is trying to repel us! That's what the horrible sensation is and it's why we can't hear the ocean, the island does not want us to find it – but Alina –'

'- isn't a normal Witch' Sirius nodded, finally understanding 'so the island isn't repelling her it's- '

'-welcoming her' Bill summed up.

They fell silent for a moment.

'Well come on then, Blake' Moody piped up in a gruff voice 'lead the way!'

* * *

><p>The turquoise waves lapped at the rocky shoreline and Alina gazed in awe at its beauty as the ocean sparkled under the sunlight.<p>

'Amazing!' she beamed, raising an eyebrow at the apprehensive looks on her companions faces.

'If you say so' Moody muttered, eyeing the ocean warily.

She didn't bother to respond, realising that they were unable to see the beauty that the island truly held, and she carefully scrambled over the rocks until she stood on a tiny bay, a small wooden rowing boat lodged neatly beside a rock on the white sand.

In the distance she could see the vague silhouette of another island, and the hypnotic pull it seemed to hold on her was enough to confirm that it was Frayne's Island.

'It's there!' she called out, pointing at the island.

Sirius groaned out loud as he looked in the direction she was pointing. The grey sky, the ominously choppy waves that were crashing against the rocks and the distant mist left every atom in his body screaming that it was a bad idea.

He looked at Alina's sparkling eyes, her wide smile and relaxed stance.

'Okay then' he replied tightly 'and how are we going to get there?'

'The boat of course!' Alina called.

Sirius groaned once again, this time simultaneously to Bill, as both of their eyes followed Alina to the wreck of what appeared to be a makeshift raft.

'Come on!' she called.

'You better be right about this' Sirius muttered to Bill.

'Why are you sitting like that?' Alina asked curiously, looking at the three men who were huddled tightly in the middle of the boat.

'So we don't fall out!' Sirius replied, gritting his teeth as a wave caused them to lurch.

Alina rolled her eyes, the boat was perfectly sturdy around them.

'How long do you think this will take? Are we close?' Bill asked Alina.

'We're getting there, we're nearly half wa – ARGH!'

Almost as if the boat had hit an invisible barrier, everything around them suddenly changed.

The blue sky and the beaming sun were replaced by jet black, furious clouds. A cacophony of thunderous crashes erupted above them and the sky almost seemed to open up, as torrential rain launched itself down on them, the thick drops almost piercing their skin.

'WHAT THE FU –' Sirius' voice was muffled as a humongous wave nearly swallowed the tiny boat, causing Alina to scream out in terror.

'DO SOMETHING!' she screamed, to no one in particular.

'I THINK IT'S A TEMPEST CURSE – BUT – BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE THIS POWERFUL –'Bill cried, his wand firmly gripped in his hand as he began to mutter a complicated flurry of spells under his breath.

Another wave hit them and even Moody cried out as the boat tipped dangerously, only barely regaining its balance.

'WHAT SHOULD I DO? I DON'T KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO?' Alina screamed helplessly, as she clutched to the side of the boat.

Amongst it all, Bill stood tall, grasping Sirius for support as he held his wand above his head, his muttering never ceasing, and his eyes wide with unadulterated fear.

'_Pluvia Ararita, absque omni strepito, terrore, clamore et foetore'_

Alina watched in desperation as Bill began to sway alarmingly, his face, if possible, paling even further and his arm trembling violently.

'_Descedo, Abeo, Abite!' _his entire body shuddered as another wave attacked their boat '_ABEO PROCELLA!'_

At his final cry something changed; for no more than a second, the wind fell quiet, the rain faltered and the constant rumbling of thunder ceased.

And then it was back.

With Vengeance.

It was as if they had angered the storm.

'BILL DO IT AGAIN…IT WAS WORKING!' Alina cried, as a particular powerful gust of wind threw her to the floor of the boat with a painful crunch as her skull connected with the wood.

'I – I – I'M TRYING' Bill yelled back, but his voice was weakening, his knees were trembling and his lips were a blackish-blue 'A-ABEO PROCELLA! A-ABEO…ABEO…'

A sob choked in Alina's throat as she watched as Bill's knees threatened to give way beneath him, this was their only chance…and he had no energy…no more power.

'_Your power is the key.'_

The words crashed around her as if part of the storm, and her eyes flew open.

'SIRIUS! WE NEED TO HELP HIM' she screamed 'MOODY, COME ON!'

She dragged herself towards Bill, who appeared in danger of falling overboard, the boat launching to the side almost causing her to roll off of the edge.

She reached the red- headed man, pulling herself to her knees she clutched his free hand and extended her wand.

Bill's eyes shot to her own, the fear and panic mirroring her own.

'TOGETHER!' she screamed, and he nodded as a sob left his throat.

_We will not die here._

Sirius' voice entered her mind, and she clung to the connection, the part of each other's soul that they possessed as their own like a lifeline.

_We are stronger than this._

'EVERYONE TOGETHER!' Moody bellowed.

Alina felt Sirius' hand clutch her shoulder and she knew that Moody was in the same way connected to him.

'ONE…' Moody cried.

'TWO…' a tremendous clap of thunder followed his shout.

'THREE!'

Together, their voices barely audible under the wrath of the storm…

'ALBEO PROCELLA!'

Salty tears mixed with the rain on her cheeks as the excursion of the spell tore away her remaining energy and her eyes widened as a huge pulse of energy surrounded their boat and expanded outwards, stretching out into the wildness of the storm.

There was a terrific eruption of thunder, and an almighty flash of lightning, and then silence.

The darkness lifted from around them, the sea fell tranquil and still and the rain stopped falling.

Not one of them spoke. For how long they lay, collapsed against the wooden bottom of the boat, they were unsure of. All that could be heard was the sounds of heavy breathing, spluttering and the cries of sea gulls.

Alina flinched as the sunlight invaded her eyelids, burning into them with its cheery falseness.

'I-Is everyone all right?' Bill finally breathed.

'Bloody Storms' Moody cursed, earning a slightly hysterical laugh of agreement from Sirius.

'Erm…what was that?' Alina called, as with a tiny bump, the boat appeared to connect with something solid and fall to a stand still. She pulled herself upright and allowed her eyes to roam around them.

'I think we're here!'

The scrambling of the three men caused the boat to rock slightly and they all stared in silence at the nearing shore line.

'Frayne's Island'

**A/N: I cannot apologise any harder for how long this has taken to update! Basically, somehow the first ten chapters of Unconditional were replaced with the first ten of Timeless - which obviosly would not only make no sense but would ruin the ending of Unconditional for any readers! The laptop I wrote Unconditional on is entirely no more, so I had to re-write the first ten chapters! And then the last ten chapters had all muddled up :S! So basically I had to return to the very beginning and that is why this is SO late! **

**I hope you enjoy the chapter, let me know you're still here and what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

The electrical charge that ignited Alina's body as her toes connected with the sandy beach was a beautiful pain, so intense she did not know whether she wanted to cry out with anguish or joy.

Bill, however, vomited.

And both Sirius and Moody did not appear to be far off from the same fate.

'Let's get this over and done with' Moody growled 'now does that look like a good route to you? Or is it another illusion?' he demanded, turning expectantly to Alina.

Following his direction, Alina observed the slightly more spaciously placed trees he was indicating towards.

'Looks good to me' she informed him 'I guess we're all seeing the same thing now.'

They made their way into the jungle, Alina's senses alive with electricity, and the expressions on her companions growing steadily grimmer. A low muttering drew Alina's attention to Bill, and she exchanged a concerned glance with Moody as they both acknowledged Bill's incessant muttering as he walked with them.

_Perhaps this is too much for him._

'We've been walking for hours, we _have _to be nearly there?' Sirius groaned, a layer of sweat and dirt across his forehead.

_Hours? _Alina blinked _they had surely been walking for under ten minutes._

'It's an Eternus Cohibeo' Bill replied tightly, ceasing his muttering 'a curse, quite commonly placed to prevent people from continuing their search for a hidden place or object. We've in fact been walking for 562 seconds – the curse leads the searcher to believe they have been looking, to no avail, for hours or even days.'

'So _that's _what you were doing!' Alina realised 'you were counting!'

'Exactly' Bill nodded 'It's a habit I've picked up, it's better to be safe than sorry.'

'Good lad' Moody nodded.

They continued their journey, combating the mass of undergrowth with well aimed slashing hexes, attempting to create a clearer route for themselves.

'This is ridiculous' Sirius grumbled.

'You should be thankful to be on a mission!' Alina finally snapped 'you've been moaning about being stuck in the house for how long?'

'Doesn't make this any less ridiculous' he muttered darkly, stomping ahead of her.

'Oh grow up!' she called after him.

'I'll grow up when –' he turned around and angrily began to retort, but when exactly he was planning on growing up she never discovered, as his shout was cut short by a viscous jet of green light that narrowly missed his head and connected with the tree behind him.

'SIRIUS!' she screamed, before she could stop herself.

'_Shut it Blake!' _Moody hissed, projecting a shield charm.

The four of them stood nervously, gazing around them to try and determine the location of their attackers.

'Alli – can you do something?' Sirius asked lowly.

'I- I'll try' she replied.

She took a deep breath and attempted to focus, willing her mind to push outwards and sense the presence of another mind close-by…

'I – I' she stuttered, wincing as she spoke.

The power that had been flowing through her since she had stepped on the island seemed to project from her very fibre, she gasped at the sensation and flinched as an overwhelming assault of senses returned to her.

'S-Stop –' she gulped.

A jet of red light splintered a tree to the left of Moody, and the Order members immediately began sending spells back, blindly in the direction that the attack had come from.

Alina, however, couldn't act. She couldn't respond.

The power of the Island, the electricity, had done something to her magic. It was as if it had amplified It, strengthened it, and as she had put it to use had expanded out into the world around her in a way that both awed and terrified Alina.

The search for another presence, another mind, had somehow resulted in the explosive intrusion of every presence in the vicinity being implemented into her mind. Sirius, Moody, Bill, Death Eaters, Birds, Insects, Rodent; every instinct, every mind and thought they possessed accumulating into her own mind.

The result was excruciating.

It consumed each of her senses; sight, smell, and sound were no longer present.

'N-No, stop –'she breathed 'help – h-help –'

She had no idea what was going on around her, no idea where their attackers were or whether her companions were okay.

'HELP ME!'

* * *

><p>'STUPIFY' Sirius yelled, diving to the left to avoid an oncoming curse.<p>

The Death Eaters, using the cover of the trees and plants surrounding them, were just about visible.

_Four of them _Sirius counted.

'Sectumsumpra!' he shot back, turning in concern at the sharp gasp of pain that Moody emitted.

Thankfully, his comrade appeared fine, apart from a gash on his left arm.

'Damn Leg keeps getting stuck' Moody grumbled, flicking his wand sharply and shooting a nasty looking purple curse towards one of the hooded figures.

Shooting a quick succession of curses, Sirius spared a glance at Alina, who remained still, wand hand slack by her side, and her eyes wide with panic.

'Alli?' he called out, throwing up a shield charm.

There was no response.

'N-No, S-Stop –'

Why wasn't she reacting? What was wrong with her?

Array spells, hexes and curses were being shot around her, and yet she remained still, she remained inactive.

Not pausing in his attack, Sirius kept moving his wand, shooting spell after spell, whilst keeping low and swiftly making his way towards Alina.

'HELP ME!'

Her cry sent chills down his spine, and he was immediately hit by the impact of Alina's emotions, fear, panic and pain, almost winding him with their intensity.

Forgetting the attack, he launched himself towards Alina, his sole aim to get to her as soon as possible.

'Alli!' he grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her round to face him 'what's wrong?'

She did not show any indication of even being aware of his presence, her eyes were blank, consumed by panic, her face was even paler than normal and a pained expression etched across her features.

'SIRIUS! HELP US!' Bill cried.

Sirius faltered for a moment, staring at Alina in concern, before taking hold of her tightly and forcing her to the ground.

He spun around quickly, his body blocking hers, and narrowed his eyes at the approaching hooded figure.

'Crucio!' the voice hissed.

The wave of agony hit him before he had a chance to protect himself, his knees crumpled beneath him and he let out a gurgle of pain.

And then it was gone.

The pain had lasted less than a few seconds, and he glared up at the masked figure before him, a smirk forming on his lips.

'Not used to using Unforgivables, are you?' he taunted, slashing his wand sharply, and pouncing back to his feet, enjoying the pained cry that the Death Eater emitted.

'Rule number one!' he barked savagely, echoing words from far, far in his past 'you have to _mean _it!'

The Death Eater was disarmed, and unconscious in seconds, and a rather unsettling peace formed around them, as Moody and Bill finished with the others.

'They were clearly spares, Voldemort wouldn't allow his important Death Eaters to be so inexperienced in dueling' Moody informed them.

'Either that, or they've been here guarding for long enough that the island's magic has weakened them' Bill shrugged.

Sirius didn't respond to either, his concern lay with Alina, who had not moved from her place on the ground, her shoulders crumpling over her and her hands pressed firmly against her temple.

'Alli?' he spoke softly, yet with urgence, as he knelt down before her.

'Blake? What's wrong?' Moody demanded.

She did not seem to hear them as she let out a strangled cry.

'It's too much!' she gasped, her eyes widening as she threw her head back with a jolt.

Sirius grabbed her arms tightly, staring deeply into her blue eyes, just as he had seen her do a million times to other people.

It was time that he found their connection. It was time that he helped her.

Whatever it was that was causing her such pain, he would be the one to stop it.

Taking a deep breath in he relaxed his body.

'Sirius, what are you. –' Bill began, but Sirius immediately hushed him as he continued to concentrate.

He had felt the bond, the range of emotions had flooded from her and straight through himself only minutes before, and it was _that _connection that he needed to find once more.

He imagined the bond between them, a thin, golden thread that strung their hearts tightly together, flowing from one person to the next in a loop, with no beginning or end.

The flicker in his chest was enough to let him know that it was working, with another deep breath he concentrated on that flicker and extended it through the golden thread, from his own heart and straight to Alina's.

The first thing he became aware of was the panic radiating from her, then the pain and then the fear.

Everything was loud. It was not noise that could be heard by the ear, but it was as if the noise was flooding through her, bouncing internally against the edges of her mind.

'Too much…too strong' he heard her whisper.

_Breathe Alli…just breathe._

He wasn't sure if he had spoken the words out loud or whether he had thought them.

_S-Sirius?_

Her mind acknowledged his presence.

_Breathe…relax….breathe._

His chest swelled with relief as he felt her responding to his voice. He felt her inhale deeply, and exhale in a steady pattern, forcing the panic to slowly subside.

'It hurts' she breathed.

_Push it out…slowly…just let it go…_

With each breath, he could feel Alina relaxing, allowing the noise and the mayhem that was intruding her mind to flow out of her barriers and back into the surrounding atmosphere.

When the last noise had gone, and her mind was once again her own, Sirius withdrew back through the golden thread, allowing himself to breathe deeply as he relaxed his own mind until he was once again independent.

'Thank you' Alina sighed, her face still worryingly pale.

'What was wrong?' Bill asked, alerting them both once again to his presence.

'The magic here is stronger' Alina grimaced 'it amplified everything. I reached out to detect someone's mind, and I got _everything' _

_So that was what all that noise was _Sirius shuddered.

'Can you walk?' he asked her.

'She'd better be able to' Moody growled, earning a disapproving glance from Bill 'we need to be on our way.'

'I'm fine' Alina grabbed Sirius' outstretched hand and pulled herself up 'just a headache.'

* * *

><p>As a group, they were far tenser than they had been previously as they continued on their venture. Bill was limping heavily, and Sirius' concern fluttered between him and the still unhealthily pale Alina, who was following Moody's lead in silence.<p>

'How long have we been walking now?' he asked, trying to mask his frustration.

'I-I'm not too sure, I lost count after the attack' Bill replied apologetically.

'It can't have been more than an hour' Alina replied calmly 'how long has it felt to you?'

'I would have said we were nearing nightfall' Moody told her, and Sirius saw her eyebrows raise with surprise 'it looks like it's thinning out ahead'

Moody was right, the distance between the trees was expanding, and there was a clear path of crushed plants where someone must have travelled along the same route before them.

'Blake!' Moody called out a warning, and Sirius turned in alarm to watch Alina rush forward, pushing past Moody and hurrying ahead of them.

'Alina!' he hissed.

The pull was too magnetic.

She could appreciate that they were calling her, warning her not to be so impulsive in her actions, but it was as if a hook was attached firmly to her chest and was yanking her forwards, reeling her in.

She broke into a run, her chest expanding with the relief of giving in to the almost violent tugging.

'Blake, slow down before I stupefy you!' she heard Moody call after her.

She did not doubt that he was very serious about the threat, but the relief she was experiencing outweighed the consequences.

She pushed forwards, sprinting out into the opening.

The second she stepped out into the clearing it was as if she were breathing for the first time.

Oxygen, so delicious, she lapped it in as it caressed her lungs.

Her eyes, however, were transfixed on one thing and one thing only. The beauty of the nature around her became dull as she gazed upon the Temple that had haunted her dreams.

'We found it' she breathed slowing her pace.

She stepped forward, only falling to a standstill once she was directly in front of the entrance.

The door, inscribed with symbols that had long ago lost their meaning in the world, seemed to beckon her forward and she instantly complied.

'ALLI!' she head the yells behind her, and heard their running footsteps as they hurried to catch up with her, their voices were laced with panic.

'DON'T TOUCH IT!'

'BLAKE, STOP!'

'ALINA! WAIT!'

_What is their problem? _The thought flickered across her mind _Why are they so afraid?_

And with that final thought, she reached out and brushed her hand across the ancient stone.

* * *

><p>'ALINA!' Sirius' cry tore against his vocal chords, his heart dropping into the pits of his stomach as he watched her extend her open hand.<p>

Her face showed no indication of the terror that flooded through him; instead it was lit up with wonder.

'DON'T TOUCH IT!'

Bill's cry sounded to his left, and he felt his presence running alongside him, both striving to reach Alina before it was too late.

But their attempt was futile.

Alina extended her hand, her face alight with wonder, and her skin connected with the rock.

When nothing happened. When she was not thrown backwards violently through the air, Sirius' pace slowed slightly and he let out the breath that he had been holding in.

'Will…she…._ever..._LISTEN!' Moody barked, from behind them as he attempted to catch up.

'I doubt it' Sirius grumbled, shaking his head 'ALLI!' he called again.

Alina did not respond to him. Her eyes were still transfixed on the doorway, and her mouth fell slightly agape as she felt the trendles of power coarse through her fingertips.

Every hair on her body was standing on end; it was so exhilarating, so intense, that the pleasure was almost painful.

Around her, or perhaps it was running through her, the sounds of excited whispers filled the very air she was breathing, and it felt as if the most intimate secret of the Universe was being shared with her.

'Amazing' she breathed.

'ALINA!'

She registered Sirius' voice, but Alina did not react. The sensation, the brilliance, of what she was experiencing was far too intriguing.

Beneath her fingertips, she felt a shifting of the stone, and her eyes widened as with a deep rumble, the stone began to move.

It parted in the middle, a bright light exuding through the gap that was beginning to form.

The light was beyond bright, it was beyond colour.

It was beyond anything she had ever seen.

It was both beautiful and terrifying and as the doorway parted further the light expanded, erupting from the confines of the Temple like a prisoner bursting to freedom after years of confinement.

_Like me. And Sirius…and Eve._

She did not fear the light.

Sirius however, did.

The second the doorway began to move, and the powerful beam of light came into view, his entire body was consumed with dread.

'ALINA!' he cried, breaking once again into a run, and feeling Moody and Bill do the same.

He knew he was not fast enough, the light shot from the doorway, engulfing Alina in its clutches and tearing her away from their sight.

'ALINA!' his voice ripped against his throat 'NO!'

The light continued to expand. It would hit them any moment.

But the movement suddenly stopped, leaving the three men safe from the light.

Instead, the powerful light had formed a dome around the Temple.

'What do we do? What do we _do?' _he demanded, desperately to the two other men, who both looked at a loss.

'I- I don't know, Sirius' Bill grimaced 'I've never seen anything like this before…the magic…this power…it's older than anything I've ever experienced…'

'Alina's in there! We can't just do nothing!' Sirius snapped, stepping forward.

Moody grabbed Sirius' arm, pulling him back with quite alarming force, causing Sirius to stumble slightly as he was caught off guard.

'What are you doing!' Sirius barked.

'Probably saving your neck, boy!' Moody hissed 'we don't know what will happen if you touch that light.'

'I don't _care!' _Sirius bit back 'Alina's in there!'

'And _Alina _probably won't be affected in the same way as we will'

'Well I'm not taking the chance of waiting to see if she turns up or not.'

'You have a daughter, Sirius' Bill's steady voice caused Sirius to pause 'you need to think about her, as well.'

'She would never forgive me if I just left her mother' Sirius replied blandly, not quite sure whether there was complete truth to his statement.

He did not pause to think any further, with a sudden jolt he tore his arm out of Moody's grip, and moving speedily, before they had a chance to stun him, bolting forward, and straight into the barrier of light.

The pain tore apart and shredded every muscle, every atom and every ounce of magic in his being. It was as if he lost all physical form. His skin, his bones, his teeth and hair, were all ripped away and all that was left was agony.

The light was restraining him, refusing access.

He did not belong.

_But I do._

A minute voice, so tiny, so fragile, that it was the epitome of a small child, sounded from somewhere within him.

And as a result of that voice, of that tiny, wonderful voice, the excruciation ceased, and his body was once again his own as he moved forwards, and past the barrier.

* * *

><p>Alina sighed as the light washed over her, tickling her skin and dancing through the air around her. It flooded tranquillity and serenity throughout her body and a warm smile lit up her face.<p>

It was magical.

She glided forward, her feet barely skimming the floor as her movements were fluid and lyrical. With each step, a musical chime seemed to echo around her, and the music and magic flowed within her, through her, around her, as one.

The Temple was beautiful, exotic; beams of gold supported the structure, and beautiful golden statues surrounding the wide, open room.

She gazed upon each of the statues, all standing to at least 10 feet, and wondered at the intricate carvings, their faces so detailed that Alina felt as though they were alive.

She danced forward, her eyes focusing on the far end of the room, where the tallest statue stood, and as she approached the statue, as her eyes fully appreciated the colossal beings face, she gasped.

It was _him. _

He was even beautiful as a statue.

His eyes, although lifeless and sculptured, seemed to excrete emotion and intelligence.

She increased her pace, her eyes never wavering from his face, her eyes connected with his.

'I have been waiting for you.'

She spun around at the voice, but felt no fear or shock; it was as if she knew in her heart that he would be here.

'It's _you.' _she breathed, staring for the first time, face to face with the man in her dreams and her mother's memory.

'You have done well to find me, it has been hard for you, child, with so little guidance.' As he spoke to her she almost wanted to weep at the sadness that flooded from his honey-golden eyes.

'Where am I? What is this place? And who are you?'

The man smiled as she spoke.

'So many questions.' He replied 'and they will all be answered in due course. You are home, child, you have finally returned to the place of your ancestry.'

'So this is where the Vadima are from?' she clarified, and he smiled in response, neither confirming nor denying her conclusion.

'You ask who I am' he continued 'I have been given many names…but what is a name?'

Alina frowned, and her expression seemed to delight the man.

'You have lived in your world for so long, Child' he smiled warmly 'the name that is most commonly used for me is Frayne.'

'_You're _Frayne?' her eyes widened 'as in _Frayne's Island?'_

He once again merely smiled at her, his eyes sparkling.

'The Vadima are a powerful race, and you, Alina, are very much so yourself. You have experienced first handed how our powers can lead to the greed of other beings. You, like your ancestors before you, have been sought after, attacked, a victim of those wishing to obtain your power for their own use –'

'Voldemort…' Alina breathed.

'There will always be someone striving for power.' Frayne nodded 'which is why we had to leave. It is why we had to protect our race and our power from the clutches of others. It is why we left for Eternity…'

'Eternity?' Alina frowned 'you spoke of that to my Mother, and in my dreams –' Frayne flinched at the mention of her mother.

'Eternity is where we live in safety, in sanctuary, and you may join us. Your Mother did not come…and now I fear it is too late –'

'Why?' Alina frowned, her chest tightening at the tragic expression he wore.

'She has turned away from her race, she has tainted her power through narcotics and has weakened herself…Eternity would no longer recognise her blood.'

'What is Eternity? _Where _is it? You say it is safe there?' Alina's mind flickered to Eve.

Frayne nodded, smiling serenely at her, and held out his arm gracefully, drawing her attention back to the regal statue of himself.

Alina almost seemed to glide over to the golden statue, her eyes fixed upon the perfectly sculptured hand, which was open, extended towards her as if revealing a gift.

_Was it open like that before? _She felt certain it hadn't been.

But as she neared the statue, the confusion was banished from her mind as her eyes fell, utterly transfixed, on a round, sparkling diamond.

It seemed to catch the light surrounding them, gleaming against the golden décor of the room.

Alina took in sharp intake of breath; it was as if the light that the Temple had emitted had been physically captured and moulded into the stone before her.

'Your power is the key.'

Alina blinked at his words, glancing back at him uncertainly, and receiving a nod of encouragement.

Silently, she reached forward, closing her hand around the gleaming diamond, and she let out a cry of surprise.

The jolt of power that shot through her felt like life itself, the whispering that she had heard as the Temple opened returned and grew louder, until rather than whispers it was the cries of joy and happiness.

She held the stone tighter, embracing the warmth it spread into her fingers, and the voices became clearer.

'_The barrier is open for those who know where to seek'_

'_Your power is the key'_

'_Enter the sanctuary of your own race, of your ancestry'_

'_Only you can see the light.'_

'ALINA!'

The voices ceased as Alina lost her concentration and spun instantly on the spot at the cry of the familiar voice.

'Sirius!' she called, her face lit up with excitement, before growing puzzled at the tight grimace on his face.

'You're all right!' he sighed, running towards her.

Alina opened her mouth to respond, but was prevented from doing so as a voice, tremendous with intensity and power, rumbled throughout the room, causing her to cringe slightly.

'How did you get through the barrier?'

Alina jumped round, and her eyes widened as they rested upon the spot where Frayne's statue had just stood. Instead, the statue had lost its golden coat, had lost its lifeless objectivity and instead was standing tall, powerfully, and very much alive.

Alina glanced around the room to try and find the Frayne she had just been speaking too, the man who was of normal size, but he was gone.

All that was left was the giant before her, both beautiful and terrifying.

'Frayne…he –'Alina began but was once again cut off.

'You should not have been able to get through the barrier – you are not Vadima!' Frayne's terrible voice boomed.

'Frayne he's with me!' Alina cried, running to Sirius and grabbing his hand tightly.

Frayne glared at Sirius, his golden eyes hard, before his expression softened and his eyes grew mournful.

'_Death will fall upon him upon his attempt to enter Eternity. No mortal may pass'_

His final words were remnant of those he had spoken to her mother in the past, and Alina gazed in awe as Frayne's body once again stood tall, and the golden sheen returned, as once again, he returned to the form of a statue.

'What the fu-' Sirius opened his mouth to curse, before a loud grinding sound interrupted him, and both of their heads turned to see the Temple door beginning to close.

'RUN!' Alina yelled.

Springing forwards, they sprinted across the room, and dived out into the light and away from the captivity of the Temple.

From the pile that they had landed in on the exterior of the Temple, Sirius rolled over and groaned out loud.

'Bloody. Hell.'

**A/N: A HUGE thank you to lovinMaya, talyag, Jessica, Alpenwolf, Namida-Kaida and Drakelover22 for your reviews! You're all amazing! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! I hope you all had a wonderful night and all have a happy and healthy 2013!  
><strong>

**Please keep your reviews coming, they are wonderful!**

**Thank you!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21:**

Eve breathed in the cold morning air, and a smile tugged on her lips.

_Heaven._

She and Piper were walking briskly beneath the morning sun towards the Quidditch Pitch.

'I'm glad there's _finally _someone else who wakes up early' Piper chattered away enthusiastically 'the others don't get out of bed until _just _before breakfast.'

'Anastasia seems to get down to breakfast quite early…she's not normally in the Dorm by the time we get back.'

'Yeah, well she's only ever done that since you've been here' Piper rolled her eyes.

Eve scrunched up her nose and frowned.

'Why _does _she hate me so much?' Eve asked quietly 'even more so that the others?'

Piper stopped abruptly mid-step and turned to face Eve.

'Nobody hates you Eve' she told the girl firmly 'they don't know you!'

She continued walking, picking up the pace as the Quidditch pitch came into sight and continuing to talk as she did so.

'If they bothered to get to know you they'd like you just fine! Ana's like that because of her –'Piper slammed her mouth shut, her cheeks blushing and her eyes shifting awkwardly.

'Because of her _what, _Piper?' Eve urged.

'Nothing' Piper replied, too quickly 'now, I'm going to practise the Chybarski dribble today, I showed you that one in the book right?'

Eve nodded, her eyes studying the girl suspiciously at the sudden change of subject.

'So you can tell me if I'm going wrong…here' she pulled out a book from her bag and handed it to her friend 'you can look at the photo and check that I'm doing it perfectly…not just right, _perfectly, _okay?'

'Okay' Eve smiled despite her confusion, the passion Piper held for Quidditch nearly rivalled the Weasley Twins' passion for pranks…nearly.

After an hour of furious flying, earning a heated sweat from Piper and a sore throat for Eve, who had spent the previous sixty minutes calling up suggestions to her friend, Piper descended and took a seat beside Eve with a deep sigh.

'I better get onto the team' she growled, her face, however, still alight with humour.

'You will!' Eve promised, reassuringly.

'There's a lot of competition this year' she informed her friend solemnly 'and all it takes is me to make one silly mistake, you know how flying is'

'I – erm – don't, actually' Eve shrugged.

'_What!' _Piper spluttered, her face dropping dramatically and her eyes bulging wide.

Eve grinned at the expression on her friend's face.

'I'm sorry…but you have _never _played Quidditch?' Piper clarified, flinching as if the words were painful to form.

'Actually, I've never flown at all.'

If possible, Piper's eyes bulged even further and her jaw dropped another inch.

'I-I don't know…how can you not have – b-but –'she stuttered, her mind struggling to process such abominable information.

Eve merely chuckled.

She watched her friend's face for a moment, eventually Piper's flabbergasted expression faded, her mouth closed and her eyes became filled with purpose.

'Right' she stated firmly, nodding to herself 'I'm going to give you your first flying lesson, Eve'

Eve's face dropped.

* * *

><p>'Steady yourself! Steady – no, stop wobbling –'<p>

Piper's exasperated cries were futile, as with a loud shriek, Eve wobbled ominously and fell all of two feet off of her broom.

'How did you even manage that?' Piper cried 'You have further to fall when you're actually standing up!'

Eve grinned at her friend's frustration and shrugged.

'It's a lot harder than it looks!' she replied calmly 'maybe I'm better just staying on my feet –'

'_Nobody's _better on their feet' Piper scoffed 'look, try again.'

Sighing, Eve scrambled to her feet, held her arm out once again.

'Up!' she called, and caught the broom firmly in her hand as it sprung upwards from the floor.

'That's it!' Piper grinned 'now, mount it!'

Eve followed the instructions, scrunching her nose with apprehension as she gently kicked off of the ground.

She hovered a few feet in the air, hardly daring to breathe as her hands shook, and the broom began to wobble vicariously from side to side.

'_Steady_ Eve, steady it!' Piper instructed 'just – just breathe!'

Eve nodded sharply, taking a deep breath inwards and exhaling slowly.

With each breath, Eve found her hands steadying and grinned triumphantly as the broom slowly, surely, began to balance.

'Piper!' she called, happily.

'Well done, Eve!' Piper grinned 'now, lean forward slightly and you'll move'

Eve tilted her body forward and let out a loud cry of excitement as the broom began to move forward.

'I'm flying!' she called 'I'm actually doing it!'

'I know!' the smile was evident in Piper's voice 'if you lean left or right you'll turn and when you're ready, lean a bit further forward and you'll begin to land –'

Eve leant experimentally to her left and felt the broom gently curve, moving in a circle until she had turned back towards Piper, she made her way back to her friend and landed firmly on the ground.

'I did it, I did it, I did it!' she laughed, springing on her toes.

Piper grinned at the girls excited expression, still feeling bemused that it was possible for someone to be brought up without learning to fly.

'Did your mum not like flying, then?' she asked casually.

Eve froze at the question, before forcing her body to relax.

'I don't think she minded flying' she replied 'but she never really played at school, I think it was my Dad who played Quidditch actually –'

Piper had tensed with surprise at the mention of Eve's father and she turned to face the girl in response.

'T-that's why I've never played…i-it's not like I've ever met him' she muttered.

'You've never met him? Not even once?' Piper pushed, hungry for information.

'No, I was raised by my mum' Eve replied tightly 'erm – are you going back up to the castle now?'

Piper blinked at the sudden change of subject.

'I- er – guess so' she nodded.

'I'll meet you at breakfast, I'm just going to take a walk – get a bit more fresh air'

Piper understood that she wasn't being invited to join Eve in her walk, and nodded thoughtfully.

'Okay' she finally beamed 'I'll see you at breakfast – oh and, Eve?' she paused as she had turned to return to the castle 'you'll be flying like a professional by Christmas'

Piper's wide grin was infectious and Eve felt her lips twist in response, before waving as she turned in the opposite direction to her friend.

* * *

><p>Eve meandered along the edges of the forbidden forest, her mind in a flurry a thought. She silently cursed herself at the near slip up with the mention of her father.<p>

As her senses absorbed the nature around her, the strong aroma of the pine trees, the cold moisture of the morning air and the bright glow of the early sun, she allowed her mind to wander.

It was nice to be alone in the quiet, escaping from the whispers and stares that followed her through Hogwarts corridors.

The sound of a snort from her left caught her attention and she smiled as her eyes fell upon the skeletal horse-like creature that was grazing calmly at the forest's edge.

'Hello' she greeted the creature softly, creeping forward slowly.

'WEASLEY!'

Eve jumped as an angry yell broke the quiet atmosphere, a few birds flew from their places in the forest's trees and the horse-like creature before her bolted into the depths of the woods.

'I'VE GOT YOU NOW!'

The angry voice sounded once again, this time at a closer proximity, and instinctively Eve reached for her wand, just as the bushes rustled and a red-faced, angry man scrambled into sight.

'You!' he gasped in a raspy voice 'have you seen two red-headed boys?'

Eve blinked in surprise as the Hogwarts caretaker glared at her as he waited for a response.

'Well?' he demanded 'I haven't got all day, girl!'

'Do you mean the Weasley twins?' she asked politely 'because I just saw them running that way'

She pointed in the direction of the castle and smiled innocently.

'I _knew _I had them!' he wheezed, baring his yellow teeth in what Eve assumed was a triumphant grin 'I'll have them hanging by their toes by this evening!'

She neither had time, nor had anything to say in response, before Filch scurried away in the direction she had indicated, muttering furiously under his breath.

A snap of a twig jerked her attention once again towards the forest, and her gaze was met with two identical grinning faces.

'I _knew _there was a reason that we kept you!'

'I'm not a pet, George' Eve replied softly, raising an eyebrow at the boys' toothy grins.

'Well even so, you'd make a bloody good pet, anyway' Fred told her brightly 'kind of a mixture between a…between a….'

Both boys cocked their heads to the side, examining her thoughtfully.

'Between a puppy?' Fred suggested.

'And a Pygmy Puff!' George completed.

'What's a Pygmy Puff?!' Eve asked incredulously.

'Ah! If we told you that we'd have to obliverate you!' George replied, tapping his nose.

'That's top secret Weasley information, Evie' Fred continued, throwing his arm around her shoulders and leading her back towards the castle 'but if you're lucky, you might get one for your birthday.'

'Speaking of which, when is it?' George fell into step beside them.

'When is what?' Eve blinked.

'Your birthday!' both twins replied in unison.

'My…birthday' she tried the words on her tongue 'I don't really know, I'll have to ask mum and dad'

She didn't notice the incredulous looks shared between the two boys, and then the identical glint of conspiracy that followed as two pairs of brown eyes lit up with an idea.

'We better hurry up' Eve continued 'at this rate we'll only just make it to breakfast before lessons begin, and I can't be late for first period, I've already got detention tonight!'

'_What!_?' the twins both spluttered, their eyes popping out and they froze mid-step.

'Detention?' George clarified.

'_You?' _Fred added.

'Yep' she replied glumly 'with Umbridge'

Both boys winced at the mention of the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor but before they had a chance to respond, a loud, anger-fuelled cry, interrupted them

'_There_ you are! Stop!'

'Sorry! Gotta go, Eve!' they cried, turning on their toes, as Filch pelted towards them.

Fred scampered away, and George held back slightly, his eyes meeting hers and his expression strangely serious.

'Listen, Eve...the detention with Umbridge - be careful all right? From what I've heard about Harry's detentions they're pretty grim -'

Eve nodded silently, her eyebrows knitting together and with a nod George followed after his brother.

'You! How dare you lie to me!' Filch spat as he reached her.

Eve groaned.

What was it her mother had said? _'Everyone will love you'_ she grimaced inwardly, from the sounds of things, she most definitely was a Black.

* * *

><p>Doris Piper had emerged fresh faced from her shower, and after throwing her Hufflepuff robes on, grabbing her school bag, she rushed down her dormitory staircase, attempting to tie her hair back in a ponytail as she went.<p>

'Running late, Piper?' Elias' voice sounded and she nodded brightly as she fell into step with him.

'You?' she asked.

'Well, yeah, but only because I enjoy _sleeping' _he informed her pointedly.

'Sleeping's for when you're dead' she replied brightly 'and breakfast is for eating – so come on!' she grabbed his arm and dragged him into the Great Hall.

'You're way too strong for a girl' he muttered.

'And you're way too weak for a boy' she retorted lightly 'Morning, all!'

She beamed around at her small group of close friends.

'Where's your shadow?' Anastasia asked archly, and Piper frowned.

'Come on, Ana, leave it out' she replied calmly, slipping into her seat beside Althea.

'Eve's really nice' she added.

Anastasia scoffed 'about as nice as the daughter of a Serial Killer can be.'

'Ana, we still don't know for definite that Sirius Black even is her father' Elias reasoned 'if she's a half-blood then Black is quite a common Muggle surname.'

'Oh it hasn't been confirmed has it?' Anastasia replied shrilly, and Piper noticed the grimaces reflected on each of her friends' faces.

Piper did not have to ask Anastasia to elaborate, as with a slightly unnecessary amount of force the girl slammed a copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table in front of her.

Piper lent over, along with Elias and both exchanged glances as they read the front page headline.

_Sirius Black's Secret Daughter Discovered at Hogwarts_

'Oh' Piper breathed, reading on.

_There are many mysteries surrounding the notorious Serial Killer, Sirius Black; his infamous escape of Wizarding Prison, Azkaban, and now, the sudden discovery of a secret daughter.  
>Eve Black, a new student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has entered her fourth year, appearing barely two years after her murderous father's escape. It is rumoured that Eve is daughter to the known fighter against You-Know-Who in the first wizarding war, Alina Blake, who was Black's girlfriend from their days at Hogwarts and was reported missing, believed dead, in the first war.<em>

_A source close to Ms Blake has exclusively told the Prophet 'Alina was concerned over how the public would treat the daughter of Sirius Black and as such brought up her daughter with a sheltered lifestyle, but she feels that it is now time for Eve to experience the Wizarding World, starting with Hogwarts.'_

_However, it seems that Eve has inherited far more from her father than expected, as with only a few weeks into her first term at Hogwarts she has already received a detention._

'_She's quiet…but weird quiet, not good quiet' a fellow fourth year pupil informs the Prophet 'she was sorted into Hufflepuff but not Slytherin…but then Sirius Black wasn't in Slytherin was he? And look how he turned out!'_

_The pupil is fair to voice her concern; Sirius Black killed twelve innocent Muggles in broad daylight, a clear sign of insanity which is an attribute that may have been passed on to his only known heir. The question that the Prophet poses, is just how little has Eve Black had to do with her father? And is it safe for Hogwarts students to be roaming the school alongside the daughter of a known Serial Killer, one whom only two years ago reportedly broke into the school_

_Who exactly is Eve Black? Why has she only appeared now? And most importantly, are your children safe?_

'Wow' Elias whistled.

'Well we'd already assumed it anyway, this is just…confirmation' Althea noted calmly, her eyes studying the expressions on her companions faces.

'Yes, it is confirmation' Anastasia snapped, her jaw tense.

'Well _I _for one may have a word with Professor Sprout ' an affected voice sounded from the left of their group 'it's just like Skeeter said, Sirius Black broke into Hogwarts a little under two years ago _without _assistance…I don't know what Dumbledore is thinking providing a Serial Killer with an _inside man'_

Althea rolled her eyes at Gwendolyn's input, and exchanged a glance with her friends. She wondered, not for the first time, how the girl had come to be sorted in Hufflepuff.

She watched Piper open her mouth to form an angry retort and then freeze before the words formed upon her lips. Piper's green eyes widened with shock and it seemed as if the entire Great Hall had fallen to a hushed quiet, and the usual merry chattering dimmed to a flurry of whispers.

Althea scanned the uncomfortable expressions on her friend's faces and the smug smirk belonging to Anastasia.

She opened her mouth to question their strange behaviour, when a voice from behind her caused her to falter, just as Piper had done.

'W-What's going on?'

Althea closed her eyes in a grimace as Eve's soft voice met her ears. She turned slowly, her heart sinking into her stomach at the concern in the girl's wide grey eyes.

'Eve –'she began, but was interrupted.

'We know everything, Eve' Gwendolyn announced haughtily, judgement written across her face.

Eve frowned.

'What d'you –'

'Here!' Anastasia's voice was cold; causing Althea flinched at the tone, and she shoved a copy of the newspaper into Eve's chest.

They all watched quietly as Eve, with shaking hands, straightened out the copy of the _Prophet _and scanned the front page.

Eve's cheeks, if possible, paled further, and her eyes flickered with a combination of shock and fear. Slowly, she raised her pupils upwards from the paper and met with those fixed intently upon her.

'_You _shouldn't be here' Anastasia told her coldly.

'_Ana!' _Piper hissed.

'No, I'm speaking the truth, _her kind –'_

'Shut up, Ana' Davey warned lowly, with no trace of the merry gleam that normally held residence in his blue eyes.

Althea flinched at the cool atmosphere that surrounded the Hufflepuff table, it was something that very rarely occurred within their House and that seemed to escalate the mood.

Althea's eyes shot straight to Eve, waiting for the girl's expression to crumble. She could see the pain register in the girl's eyes and she caught the slight tremble in her lips as the tears threatened to fall.

'You should be ashamed' Anastasia spat, malice clear in her tone.

Suddenly Eve's expression changed. Her eyes flickered to Anastasia, firmly holding the girl's gaze for a moment. Her soft expression hardened, her jaw set firmly and her eyes remained steady, almost arrogantly as she slowly regarded the girl in front of her.

'I am _not _ashamed of who I am.' She announced coolly.

The group stayed silent for a moment, and Althea felt a wave of admiration for Eve as she held her ground.

'And you shouldn't have to be' she replied, scooting to her left slightly to make room for her to sit down.

Eve hesitated for a moment, as she acknowledged the raging glare she was receiving from Anastasia.

'Oh no you don't!' a jolly voice called from behind her, announcing the appearance of one of the Weasley Twins.

George grinned widely at Eve as her shoulders relaxed with relief. He forced the bright expression to remain firmly on his face, despite wanting desperately to draw his wand on the girl that seemed to be giving Eve grief about the article in the Prophet.

_A new candidate to test our products on _he thought maliciously, before he brought his attention back to Eve.

'Well done, Evie' he smirked 'you've managed to beat Harry for the front page!'

Eve blinked, before a small smile ghosted the corners of her mouth.

'Come on, Eve' a second voice sounded quietly from behind George 'come sit with us today.'

Eve's eyes fell upon Harry and a wave of appreciation flooded through her.

She nodded silently, and followed his lead to the Gryffindor table, allowing George to place a protective arm around her shoulders, almost shielding her from the conspiring glances and whispers that followed her.

On the Hufflepuff table, five students remained silent, shame flooding through them as they watched the girl walk away.

Althea leant over to Anastasia looking pointedly at the girl.

'It wasn't her fault' she said softly.

Anastasia's hard expression fell slightly, and her eyes flickered back to the silhouette of Eve, before she tore her gaze away and continued to eat her breakfast, not saying a word to anybody.

On Slytherin table, many eyes watched with amusement the interaction with Eve Black, her fellow classmates, and Potter, but one face remained blank.

One face masked the anger that erupted inside of him as Eve allowed Harry Potter to lead her to his table, but the silvery eyes could not mask the irritation which formed as George Weasley's arm rested across her shoulders.

* * *

><p>'We'll walk with you to your first class' Hermione smiled at Eve as they exited the Great Hall.<p>

'Thanks' Eve mumbled.

'You'll learn to ignore the stares' Harry informed her 'They either get bored, find something else to talk about, or you just get used to it' he explained, although Eve was able to detect the trace of irritability in his tone and judging by the glances exchanged by Ron and Hermione they had noticed as well.

'I'm hardly used to being around so many people, let alone being on the front page of a newspaper' she grumbled, and Harry nodded in understanding.

'I _really _do wonder sometimes what this world is coming to!' a voice sneered from behind them, and Eve's heart began to thump erratically in response 'when the pathway of _Purebloods _is blocked by Mudbloods, Bloodtraitors and the Bastard of a _murderer.'_

'Shut it, Malfoy' Ron immediately snapped his face red and his fists curled tightly.

'No wonder you get your Mudblood to do your essays for you, Weasel. Your inability of forming an intelligent retort never fails to astound me' Draco drawled.

Eve stared at him, stunned by his words _bastard of a murderer?_

She pursed her lips as the desperate need that she always experienced when she saw Draco faded and instead was replaced with anger.

'Your parents may be married Draco, but criticizing someone for having a murderer as a parent is a bit rich coming from you, isn't it?' she asked coolly, her head feeling strangely light as she formed the words and her heart thudding against her ribcage.

She felt the shocked stares she was receiving from Harry, Ron and Hermione.

'Well _bloody _said!' Ron grinned.

Draco glared darkly at her for a moment, and Eve felt her dread quickly replace her anger as she waited for his response.

'I've spent long enough in the company of _filth_, move' he barged past them and swept along the corridor, Crabbe and Goyle staggering clumsily after him.

'That was brilliant, Eve!' Ron continued, laughing loudly and patting her on the back.

Eve couldn't share his amusement however, her heart had sunk far too low to be uplifted any time soon and sadness was embracing her with its cold, wet clutches.

The rest of the day she managed to keep virtually isolated from her peers, in History of Marriage she took one of the front row seats and intently took notes, leaving the classroom at the end of the lesson before anyone else had even finished packing up their bags.

She continued in this fashion, choosing to go for a walk during her lunch period and taking action on one of her father's pieces of information and seeking out the Kitchens rather than attending dinner.

'Erm…is there anything else Miss wants?' Eve was abruptly disrupted from her own thoughts and drawn back into the present by the high-pitched voice of a House Elf.

Glancing quickly at the clock she felt her stomach lurch.

'No' she smiled at the Elf, although the action felt hollow 'I have somewhere to be.'

* * *

><p>With every step she took towards the office Eve felt the sense of doom expand in her chest. She took in a deep breath as she stared at the Office door and exhaling shakily she knocked three times and waited.<p>

'Come in' a voice simpered from inside.

Umbridge's beaming face was the first thing that met her eyes, but the glee in the woman's expression held a malicious glint, causing Eve's stomach to flip nervously.

'I'm here for the Detention, Professor' Eve said awkwardly.

'Oh I have not forgotten Miss Black, and it's Professor _Umbridge' _she corrected 'you can join Mr Potter and Miss Day by taking a seat'

It was only then that Eve realised she was not alone in serving her detention, Harry and a second year Gryffindor were already seated and Eve immediately met Harry's eyes.

His emerald orbs burned into hers and he nodded supportively, his expression remaining stoic.

Eve sighed, returning the glance and silently seating herself in the desk beside Harry.

'Mr Potter, I am sure you are aware of what is expected of you this evening, so you may begin' Umbridge's eyes gleamed as her lips curved upwards and Eve noticed the twitch of Harry's lips as he fought down a retort.

'Miss Day, Miss Black' Eve's attentions immediately snapped back to her Professor 'you shall be writing lines this evening'

Slowly, almost tauntingly, Umbridge meandered across the room, placing a quill on each desk

'Miss Day, I'd like you to write _I will not disrespect my elders' _Umbridge informed the small girl 'and Miss Black…' Umbridge's eyes flickered to rest upon Eve and she licked her lips as if she were a predator preparing to devour her prey 'you will write _insubordination will not be tolerated.'_

Eve glanced around her desk as she lifted her quill, her brows furrowed; she opened her mouth to address Proffessor Umbridge.

'You don't need ink'

Harry's voice was low, and as she caught his eye a shudder ran through her.

The sharp cry from the second year behind her confirmed her fears, and slowly, refusing to acknowledge the Professor whom she could sense was intently watching her, she lowered the quill to her parchment.

_Insubordination will not be tolerated._

* * *

><p>'Are you all right?' Harry asked in a low voice as they left the Office.<p>

Eve nodded firmly, her face pale and her head coated slightly with a thin layer of sweat.

It was funny, how pain never seemed to differ in terms of relativity. For the last fourteen years, Eve had experienced agony and torture of the most unbearable variety, but despite such experiences, immunity for smaller levels of pain was never obtained.

She clutched her hand tightly, cradling it into her chest.

She could barely form words as her mind was no longer present within Hogwarts.

Her eyes were latched on the trail of blood trickling along her white skin and her heart was thudding as memories of waking up, drenched in the blood of some poor stranger whom had been her victim the previous night, flooded through her mind.

'Eve?'

'I'm fine' she whispered.

Harry's eyes softened, and his hand rested on her shoulder for a moment.

'Use Essence of Mertlop if you can, it helps with the stinging'

She nodded.

'Eve?' a hesitant voice interrupted and Althea stepped from the shadows, Piper alongside her.

'We wanted to speak to you all day, but when you didn't turn up to lunch or dinner…' Piper trailed off, and Eve shuffled her feet nervously.

'We don't care, Eve' Althea told her 'we're your friends and we don't care who your father is, we _don't care.'_

Eve's mouth slacked, and the dark memories that had been resurfacing were immediately forgotten as she stared in surprise at the two girls.

Harry had seemed to relax, knowing that Eve wasn't alone.

'I'm going to take her back to the common room' Harry indicated to the trembling second year beside him 'will you be all right?'

When Eve didn't respond, Piper turned to Harry shyly.

'She'll be fine, we'll make sure she gets back to the common room.'

Harry nodded and after thanking them he turned away, leading his fellow Gryffindor with him.

They stood in silence for a moment, before something caught Althea's eye.

'Eve!' she gasped 'what's happened?'

Eve's eyes shot to Althea's and tentivally she held out her arm, showing the cause of the blood.

'_Eve!' _both girls gasped.

'Are you all right?'

'I can't believe she's did this!'

'That evil toad!'

If she wasn't so dazed, she probably would have chuckled at their reactions, but she just blinked slowly.

Althea smiled reassuringly at the girl's daze and put her arm gently around her shoulders 'come on, we need to go and sort that cut out –'

'Oi! You three, what are you doing out of bed!'

Piper jumped violently and Althea let out a high pitched squeak of surprise.

They turned in unison, expressions nervous as the fifth year Prefect marched towards them.

'Did you not hear me?' he sneered 'I said _what_ are you doing out of bed'

'W-we were just…we were just –'Althea stuttered.

'You were just _what?'_ as he reached them, the cold silver eyes of Draco Malfoy bore down on them and both girls took a step backwards, towards their friend who was standing silently behind them.

'We came to collect Eve from her detention' Piper finished with an air of confidence that she was not truly feeling.

'E-Eve?' both girls blinked at the foreign stutter in Draco's voice.

Draco apparently noticed it too and straightened his back.

'Twenty points from Hufflepuff for breaking curfew' he told them coolly 'now you can leave Eve with me and the two of you can return to your Common Room.'

'B-But she's _hurt!' _Piper argued.

Draco jerked his head to stare at Eve at the girl's words and his face darkened.

'A further ten points for arguing and unless you want detention for a month and to lose another fifty points, go, _now' _he growled 'I'll deal with Black.'

The two girls looked at each other with fright, before glancing apologetically at Eve and obeying the prefect.

When their echoed footsteps could no longer be heard, Draco turned his attention fully upon Eve, whose head was bowed, her eyes focused on the hand she was tightly clutching.

'You're hurt?' Draco's voice broke the silence.

Slowly, with a shaky breath, Eve lifted her head, raising her eyes until they locked with his.

She couldn't find the energy for any of the previous anger and hostility that had built between them. In the cloak of night, his eyes were no longer cold, no longer unfeeling. As they gazed intently upon hers, emotion flowed from them.

She saw the concern and the internal struggle that he was experiencing, she even thought she detected pain.

But most of all, when she met with his eyes, she felt _safe._

He was the one person who knew her more than anybody else in the world, who had been her sole support for almost the entirety of her life.

She threw herself into his arms, hearing a surprised '_oomph' _at the impact, and she clutched him desperately.

After a moment she felt him respond as his arms wrapped around her, one cradling her head and pulling her tightly into his chest.

'I'm not supposed to get hurt here' she whispered.

'You won't be' Draco whispered 'not again.'

**A/N: ****Thank you so much for your reviews you're all amazing! To those who haven't got an account and i couldn't reply, thank you as well! I can't respond to some of them as it would give away too much of the plot! **

**Please keep reviewing, I like to know how you're finding the story and any opinions!**

**Thank you so much!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

He held her tightly, silently, for what felt like hours, and Eve sunk into the comfort that his arms possessed.

They had never interacted like this, not in all of the years they had known one another, but words were unable to express their feelings and instead Eve let her body express all of her emotions in a way that her words could not, sinking into his embrace.

When Draco pulled away he took her injured hand into his own and his eyes flashed darkly at the words that were scrawled into her skin.

'I've had worse, Draco' she reminded him gently, the first words she had spoken since he had arrived.

'Even so…' he muttered, flicking his wand and clearing the blood from her wound 'you need to get that dressed.'

'Essence of Murtlap apparently' she mumbled, and Draco nodded.

The sound of approaching footsteps alerted Draco and he took a step away from Eve, turning to the source of the sound.

'Malfoy? What are you doing here?' Hermione questioned as she turned the corner 'Eve?'

Hermione blinked staring from one to the other, surprise evident on her face.

'I expect I'm here for the same reason as you, Granger, checking nobodies breaking curfew' he replied coldly 'I found Black wandering around after her detention.'

Hermione turned to Eve as if waiting for her to verify his answer.

Eve nodded 'I should get back to my Common Room, they'll be waiting up for me –'

'And I'll be off too, before I catch some of the filth that is floating around in this corridor' Draco sneered, turning on the spot and sweeping away without a second glance at either of them.

Eve watched his retreating form for a moment.

'Git' Hermione muttered, before smiling at Eve 'detention with Umbridge? Come on, I'll walk you back to your Common Room.'

'Thank you' Eve smiled at the sympathetic expression she was in receipt of, and fell into step with the older girl. She didn't see the sympathetic expression upon Hermione's face falter for a moment as a thoughtful one replaced it as she studied her.

'You want to put some Essence of –'

'Murtlap on it' Eve finished, flashing Hermione a grin over her shoulder 'Harry told me.'

When Eve entered the Hufflepuff Common Room she was ambushed with the concerned cries of Piper and Althea, and even noticed Elias, Davey and Patrick hovering behind them.

'Eve, are you all right?'

'I _hate _that git, Malfoy!'

'What did he say? Did he do anything to you?'

'No, no, no' Eve shook her head smiling 'he cleaned my cut actually.'

'B-B-But it's _Malfoy!' _Piper cried, looking aghast 'Do you know who his _father_ is?'

Eve blenched at her words.

'Maybe he's not as bad as everyone thinks' Eve shrugged, feeling her cheeks warming.

'Yeah, whatever' Piper shrugged 'more likely he banged his head…hard.'

Elias snorted from behind them.

'Come on then' he called 'we're still only half way through our game of exploding snap!'

As they continued playing, Althea quietly bathed Eve's hand, and despite the stinging causing her to wince slightly, Eve felt a warmth building in her chest.

_Maybe things aren't as bad as I thought.  
><em>

* * *

><p>'BILL? BILL!' Molly's shrill cry shot through Sirius like a bullet 'OH ARTHUR, HE'S BACK! THEY'RE BACK!'<p>

Her cries were accompanied by rushing footsteps and various members of the Order burst into the hallway, Arthur Weasley at the forefront.

Molly had already pulled her dishevelled son into her arms and was squeezing him tightly, her words muffled in his shoulders.

Bill let out a small cry of pain as Molly irritated one of his various gashes and instantly his Mother jumped away from him.

'Oh Bill, oh love, you're hurt! What happened? Are you all right? Sirius, Alastor, is he all right? Come and sit down –'

Sirius almost chuckled at the woman's rambling, but the woman tucked under his own arm, leaning heavily on his shoulder, prevented him from doing so and ignoring the questions being shot at them, he led Alina into the living room so that they could both rest.

The return journey from the island was far more difficult than anticipated. The Bermuda Ministry had tightened their security due to their initial breach and it had taken fifteen extremely quick successive apparations for them to successfully make it back to Grimmauld Place.

Sirius and Alina let out a collective sigh as they sunk into an armchair and Sirius closed his eyes momentarily as Tonks scanned both he and Alina over, checking for any serious injuries.

'It's just scratches' he mumbled to her.

'That's what Benvolio said' she replied archly, and Sirius opened one eye questioningly.

'Romeo and Juliet? Shakespeare?' she replied, before shaking her head with exasperation 'and you call yourself a Blood Traitor.'

He chuckled.

'What happened?' Remus' voice sounded.

'Moony!' he called, grinning wearily.

'You'll have to ask Alina' Mad-Eye growled.

All attention in the room turned to Alina, and with a deep sigh she opened her eyes and sat herself up, before relating everything that had happened on their mission.

After a twelve hour sleep, and an extremely large breakfast served by Molly the following morning, the four comrades were feeling far better.

'If it wasn't for Bill we wouldn't have made it half as far as we did' Sirius praised, and Bill grinned brushing off the compliment.

'If it wasn't for _me_?' he chuckled 'I think we have Alina to thank for getting us there!'

'What I did was because of my bloodline' Alina replied 'what you did was because of talent.'

They chattered over the breakfast table far more enthusiastically than the previous evening, and it was just as they were finishing their tea that Dumbledore chose to appear.

'It is fantastic to see you all back looking so well!' he beamed as he entered the room 'no – no – please don't stand on my account!'

'Tea, Albus?' Molly offered.

'That would be lovely, Molly' Dumbledore replied 'it may be ever so British of me, but I am never one to turn down a nice cup of tea'

As Dumbledore stirred his cup, a pleasantly thoughtful expression remained on his face as the four Order members related their tale and when they were finished he remained silent for a moment.

'It seems to me, that Voldemort is extremely interested in discovering the location of whatever this '_Eternity' _is that Frayne was referring too.' He finally stated.

'You mean you think it's a real place?' Bill asked, his brows rising with interest.

'Oh indeed I do, Mr Weasley' Dumbledore nodded 'the Vadima were under the attack of the wizarding world, and as you know it would be very dangerous for a Dark Wizard to have access to their power…the Race, for all means and purposes, seem to completely disappear from history at this point.'

'So what happened to them?' Mad-Eye demanded with frustration in his voice.

'What happened to them, indeed' Dumbledore raised an eyebrow 'it is my belief that they created a safe haven for their people. Somewhere that protected them from the Wizarding Race…'

'Eternity' Alina breathed.

'Exactly' Dumbledore nodded 'and if that is the case, which I believe it is, then there a many more Vadima in existence…the question is, where?'

They fell silent for a moment.

'Do…do we really want to know?' Alina finally asked, and kept her gaze steady as everyone turned to her in surprise 'what I mean is, if they have created this place to keep them safe, surely they are safer without anyone knowing where they are!'

'You have a very good point Alina' Dumbledore contended 'and were it not for the fact that Voldemort himself is searching for its location, I would agree with you profusely. However, it is inevitable that eventually Voldemort will find the location, and without protection, without prevention –'

'- he could gain control of all of them' Sirius completed, his eyes widening slightly.

The room fell silent, and a collective shudder seemed to flow through them all as their minds processed the horror that would occur if Voldemort were to be successful.

'What do we do?' Molly asked, her face pale.

Dumbledore turned to Alina, his face etched with reluctance and his eyes apologetic.

'You want me to visit my mother.' She spoke for him, a bitter taste in her mouth.

* * *

><p>'Eve! Eve, wake up!'<p>

Eve opened one bleary eye and nearly fell out of her bed at the shock of Piper's face leaning directly over hers.

'Wha- Piper?' she spluttered, noting that the sun was only just rising.

'I haven't finished my potions essay'

Eve stared at the girl in confusion, before pulling herself up to a seated position and wiping her eyes.

'You mean the one for _first period?'_ Eve clarified, shaking her head.

'Yes' Piper frowned 'but I had to concentrate on the Quidditch tryouts!'

Eve shook her head at the girl's priorities.

'Well the tryouts are over now, so you better start writing or Snape's going to _kill _you!'

'I know!' Piper groaned, before her face lit up once again 'but before I go to the library I can check the noticeboard, the list should be up now!'

Eve smiled at the excited twinkle in Piper's eyes.

'Come on then, I may as well come with you!' her words earned a beaming smile from Piper.

Twenty minutes later, they were dressed and moving at a fast pace towards the notice board in the entrance hall.

Eve held her breath when Piper scurried over and began to scan the list, if her friend hadn't made the team then Eve didn't know whether she could handle Piper's disappointment.

Her fears, however, were futile, as Piper's wide grin and loud cry were enough to signal good news.

'I told you you'd get on the team!' Eve congratulated her, and jolted as Piper pulled her into a crushing hug.

'This is brilliant! I've got to tell my mum…and my dad! Oh, and Great Uncle Bertie!' Piper was practically bouncing on the spot 'I'll go and Owl them now!'

She waved her farewell with a brief flick of her wrist and began running towards the staircase.

'Don't forget your potions Essay!' Eve called after her, but was given no indication at having been heard.

Shaking her head and chuckling quietly to herself, Eve headed in the opposite direction to her friend, making her way out into the castle grounds, onto the Quidditch Pitch, and only fifteen minutes later she was up in the sky, circling the length of the pitch.

She inhaled deeply, her taste buds savouring the crisp morning air. For a split second she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of the wind in her hair, before a sudden image flashed before her eyes.

It was a large room, she couldn't quite make out the details, but a single figure seemed to draw all of her focus. He stood tall, his face strikingly beautiful and his hair golden. He outstretched his hand to her, and all around them were excited whispers, growing steadily in pitch…

Eve's stomach lurched as the image suddenly faded and her whereabouts returned to her. She let out a sharp cry and her heart skipped a beat as she wobbled ominously on her broom.

_Idiot _she cursed herself _who closes their eyes on a broom!? And what the hell was that!_

The panic that had set in soon moved to adrenaline as she steadied herself and returned to the enjoyment.

She had revelled in the freedom that walking the school grounds had brought her, but flying was an utterly different experience. It was so superior, so magnificent, that she almost wished she could live in the sky, that she could spout wings and glide from morning to evening in the complete and utter freedom.

_Perfect._

At that moment she could completely relate to Piper's passion for flying, and she wondered whether _she _herself would have been a Quidditch enthusiast had she undergone a normal upbringing.

_Perhaps._

Feeling a moment of daring she pushed her broom higher, and holding her breath, she turned the broom, feeling her hair drop above her head as she turned a loop in the sky.

A loud cheer that followed almost caused her to fall, and she jerked her gaze downwards to locate the source of the cries.

Firstly, her eyes locked upon a lone figure, a tall frame whose white blonde hair was left shining under the light of the morning sun.

_Draco?_

But a second bout of cries drew her attention away from Draco and to the opposite end of the pitch as she found herself looking down in bewilderment at three grinning faces; Davey, Patrick and Elias.

'What the -' her voice trailed off as she shook her head.

Feeling the pressure of an audience, she nervously brought her body forward and aimed towards the ground, saying a silent prayer of thanks as her feet connected with the grass firmly and without a stumble.

'Hi!' she greeted them breathlessly.

'Was that Draco Malfoy?' Elias asked incredulous.

'Er...I think so' Eve replied, her head turning to the spot where she had seen him from the sky.

He was gone.

_Why was he here?_ Eve barely had time to ponder her own question before it was posed out loud by another tongue.

'What on earth was _he_ doing here?' Patrick asked, clearly baffled.

'I dunno' she shrugged 'maybe he was just going for a walk'

'Yeah…maybe' Elias still looked doubtful.

'A-Anyway! What are you _doing _here?!' she quickly asked, before anymore theories could be put forward.

'Well rumour has it -' Tommy began, his slow smile making his dimples more prominent.

'- by that, he means that our dear Doris, _let it slip'_ Elias interrupted with a wide grin.

'And by let slip, he means during her angry ranting about having to go to the library instead of the Quidditch Pitch' Patrick added, his eyes sparkling.

'Well _anyway'_ Tommy continued, glaring at his two friends 'Piper _mentioned _that she'd been teaching you to fly, so we thought we'd come and see for ourselves.'

Eve fought back a chuckle, firstly at the image of Piper's angry ranting, and secondly due to the infectious grins spread across each of the three boys' faces.

'Have you seen her this morning?' she asked suddenly, turning to Elias.

'Who – Pip? No, why?' he frowned.

'She got on the Hufflepuff team!' Eve blurted, and a small smile crept across Elias' face.

'Well of course she did' he replied coolly, shrugging, as if there were never any doubt.

Eve smirked slightly at his reaction, and she caught the knowing glance exchanged between Patrick and Tommy.

Elias, however, remained oblivious.

'I _do _believe it's time for breakfast!' he announced, his stomach grumbling loudly.

'I suppose we can save Piper from her essay whilst we're at it' Patrick chuckled.

'Oh God' Elias groaned 'she's going to be a _nightmare _today'

'You should have seen her this morning, she was practically bouncing off of the walls' Eve laughed.

They chattered until they were half way back to the castle, when the sound of a voice and a flash of light caught their attention. Glancing at each other, they all immediately detoured from their root, and veered right to peer behind the tree that was constricting their view.

'Oh it's just Ana' Tommy told them quietly, and Eve glanced at him questioningly.

'What is she doing?' she asked as she watched her Dorm Mate hiss with frustration and furiously flick her wand in an attempt to perform a stunning spell.

'Practising for Defence Against the Dark Arts' Patrick replied quietly.

'But we're not _allowed _to do practical magic in Defence –'

'-but we _will _have to in our exams' Tommy cut her off 'and Ana's mum's high up in the Ministry, if she fails Defence, a howler will be the least of her worries'

Eve watched the girl in silence, feeling a flicker of sympathy for the girl whose face was twisted with frustration.

'She just needs to make the flick more forceful, her wrist movement is too soft' Eve noted softly as she observed the girl.

'Since when were you an expert on Defence Against the Dark Arts!' Patrick asked her, raising a brow.

Eve blushed in response but was saved by Elias' low hushing of warning and his arm pulling her backwards so that she was fully concealed by the tree.

'Wha-' she began, but was immediately stopped by the finger over Elias' lips telling her to be quiet.

'Umbridge and Filch' he whispered lowly 'he must be able to see the flashes from his Office…'

'Oh he would go and get _her, _the git' Tommy muttered 'Ana! Ana!'

Eve watched as Anastasia spun around in alarm, her eyes widening with surprise as she saw them.

'Wha –?' she began.

'Umbridge!' all four of them hissed together.

But whilst there was time for the warning, there was no time for her to respond.

'You! Girl!' Filch's wheezing cry sounded, telling them all that Anastasia had been spotted.

Ana's face paled dramatically, and her eyes darted as her bottom lip began to tremble.

'Oh God…I'm going to get detention' she was speaking to herself, the fear in her voice evident to all of their ears 'Mum's going to kill me.'

Eve felt her heart drop at Anastasia's words, she had only known what it was like to have parents for a matter of months but the very idea of disappointing them was too hideous for her mind to even process.

She didn't think she would be able to bare her father's eyes, which only lit up when they saw her, drawing him away from the forever torment that is Azkaban, dissolve into darkness. Or her mother's face, so beautiful despite the torture she had suffered over the years, crease at her forehead as her shoulders slumped…

She was thankful that small matters such as detention would not bring those images into reality. For they had been deprived of one another for so long, that there was little any of them could do that would bring anger upon them.

It was with that thought that something in her mind clicked into place, and although she knew that what she had decided to do was potentially very stupid, she decided nevertheless it was very, very necessary.

'_Eve, what are you –' _

Patrick, who was pressed up against her in their hiding spot behind the tree whispered in her ear, but she ignored him, moving quickly and running out into plain exposure.

'Eve!?' Anastasia's surprised voice was the last thing she heard, before the familiar, smug voice, penetrated both of their ears.

'Miss Williams, and Miss _Black' _Umbridge's beady eyes lingered upon her for a moment before she continued 'Mr Filch has informed me that he spotted a student casting spells out here this morning…in particular he noticed a _red _light?'

Anastasia was visibly shivering beside her and Eve felt a surge of sympathy for the girl.

'It was –'Anastasia began.

'-me' Eve finished for her quickly, ignoring how Anastasia's mouth had dropped open in surprise and tensing at the jubilant expression that lit up Umbridge's face.

'And what, pray tell, were you doing casting spells out here this morning, Miss Black? Were you duelling?' her gleaming eyes flickered between the two girls.

'No' Eve announced tightly 'I came out here to – to – _practise _defensive spells and Anastasia followed me, to stop me. She said that I would get into trouble.' Eve held her head high as she spoke.

'Well, Miss William's was right' Umbridge's voice was dangerously soft as she seemed to gain pleasure from the turn of events 'and why, Miss Black, would you feel the _need _to practise defensive magic, when I have clearly told you that the Ministry recommends a theoretical basis for learning the required curriculum.'

'I think Harry Potter has summarised why we need to be able to practically defend ourselves.'

Even Eve herself was shocked by her own words, unsure of why she had retorted in such a manner. Whatever Harry had decided to proclaim to the world about Voldemort's return, she had been adamant that she was not going to stand alongside him as he did so.

Umbridge's eyes widened with shock.

'Well, Miss Black. It seems that you, not unlike Mr Potter, have not quite yet learnt the lesson I tried to teach you in your first detention with me.' Her words were soft, but they cut through Eve like blades 'so you can join him in detention this coming Friday, we shall see if the message will finally begin to sink in, won't we.'

Umbridge's lips curved into a wide, toad like smile, and Eve felt a tremor of electricity rush through her body as her magic begged to be allowed release.

_She has no idea what I'm capable of _she inwardly fumed, before cursing herself at having such a thought.

'I will see you on Friday then, Professor Umbridge' Eve matched the woman using an equally soft tone 'now I best be going to breakfast or I'll be late for Potions.'

As she turned and headed back to the castle, not daring to glance in the direction she knew the boys were residing due to the fear of giving away their hiding place, Eve could almost tangibly feel her Defence Professor's eyes burning into her back.

_Bitch _she thought.

* * *

><p>'Ready to go, Alli?'<p>

Alina had been lost in thought and it was Remus' bright voice which jolted her back to reality.

She made a groaning sound of assent in her throat and sighed heavily.

'We might get something this time' Remus' tone didn't do anything to encourage conviction of his words, and Alina merely shot him a disbelieving glance in response.

It was one week since they had returned from Frayne's Island and Alina's third visit to her mother.

_Three visits in one week._ Alina couldn't even remember seeing her mother so frequently when she had been living at home, and her mother certainly was not welcoming the sudden attention from her only daughter. Rather the exact opposite. Her mother had in fact been incredibly volatile in response to her presence, and due to this Alina was finding it near impossible to find relevant information from amongst her mother's jumbled thoughts.

'Her mind is harder to access than normal people's…and with one thought shooting to another before I can even grasp what's happening it's just – she's just – ergh!' Alina ran her hands through her hair.

Remus smiled at her sympathetically.

'We've only been trying for a week. Believe it or not Alli, sometimes things don't come easily…shall we go?'

Alina nodded, and as she rose from the kitchen table she could not prevent her eyes rising to the ceiling, as if she were expecting to be able to penetrate her gaze through the opaqueness.

'How is he?' Remus' voice was low, and she shot him a dark look causing him to grimace 'that bad, huh?'

She nodded silently, letting out a deep breath.

'It's cruel of Dumbledore to have let him go on one mission only to cage him up now' she shook her head.

'Dumbledore's only trying to keep him safe, Alli. The last thing we want is him getting caught.'

'Don't you think I _know _that, Remus?' Alina's eyes flashed 'but just as he's gotten his freedom, just as he's gotten away from that prison cell he…they…nobody should be caged up Remus…_nobody!'_

Remus watched her steadily; his face remaining calm as he allowed her to vent her frustrations, but his eyes sparkled with understanding.

Sirius' mood had begun to darken just less than one week ago. Beginning from the moment that Dumbledore had made it clear that he would not be partaking in any further missions for the Order. Alina had watched in silence as the feint trace of light in Sirius' eyes had immediately faded, and his entire demeanour had shrunk. The mood had only deteriorated since then, with him choosing to lock himself away in a room with Buckbeak or disappearing into an empty room and loudly playing his old record collection from their school days rather than socialise with anyone.

'From one prison to another' she muttered darkly, before raising her eyes to meet Remus'

'and it doesn't help that I can physically _feel _the torment waving off of him, this stupid, _bloody _connection –' Alina cut off of her words and sighed 'come on then Remus, let's go –'

Remus looked like he wanted to say something, but he clearly thought better as he snapped his mouth shut and took her arm in his. One hour later they were in her childhood home, sitting in the kitchen and watching Mrs Blake steadily drink a bottle of Gin.

'For goodness sake, Mother!' Alina finally snapped 'it's barely midday!'

Mrs Blake's bloodshot, yet nevertheless startlingly blue eyes shot upwards, laced with malice.

She didn't reply.

'Fine.' Alina sighed 'now I'm going to try this again, just _try_ and give me something, all right?'

She did not bother waiting for a response that she knew would not come, instead she leant forward and once again gently pushed her mind forward, probing the edges of her mother's mind before obtaining access.

Alina grit her teeth with frustration as irrelevant image after irrelevant image sprung forward; the bottle of whiskey she'd had last week, their old house elf, the dress she'd worn to the last ball, the intrusion of Alina in her home, Alina crying as a little girl, her father shouting cruelly, Alina trying to climb up onto the bed with her but being too small to do so…

'Ergh, this is _ridiculous!' _she spat, slamming her hand down on the table and causing a jolt of her magic to shoot down her arm.

'Alina' Remus said warningly.

Her mother's eyes were still on her and Alina felt unusually flustered.

'I'm fine, I'm fine' she muttered, silently counting to ten in her head.

She took one final deep breath and with more force than was perhaps necessary, she pushed her mind forward again and burst into her mother's mind, clearly catching her by surprise.

The thoughts were less frantic this time, and she quickly searched through those at hand before her mother could begin to panic at the intrusion.

_The same memory of Frayne, her mother crying as she stared down at Alina sleeping as a baby, her mother writing a note to her father saying that she was leaving…and then proceeding to tear it up, and then a face…a face in the window. Her mother was terrified. An unknown face. Dark, slicked back hair, dark brown eyes lined by deep purple bags and a thin scar curving from the corner of his lip and up across his left cheek. _

The images then grew distorted as fear seemed to captivate her mother, and Alina jerked her mind backwards, retreating to her own body and breathing heavily as she stared wide-eyed at her mother's trembling form.

'Alli?' Remus had sat up straighter, clearly noticing that something had transfixed between them.

Alina opened her mouth to respond, but her throat had closed and she was unable to form words. Her heart pounded against her ribcage and her entire body felt as if it had been dosed with ice cold water.

Her eyes never wavered from her mother.

_That face, the man in the window…_

That memory was unlike the rest she had seen; for it was not old it was recent…

Her mother may not recognise the intruder, but Alina did, and she knew that her mother was extremely justified in the terror she had felt.

For Alina had seen that face before.

She had seen that face when she was tired from the excruciating agony of a long labour, when she was fighting with every ounce of power her body possessed to keep the tiny, new born infant that she loved without a doubt more than anything else in the world. She had seen that same face smirking at her as he held the baby, _her_ baby, firmly in his arms with his wand drawn as he shot spell after spell back at her attacks.

He was a Death Eater.

_Thorfinn Rowle._

And what was he doing at her mother's house?

**A/N: Thank you to those of you who reviewed, It's nice to know you're still there and enjoying the story :) This chapter was supposed to have a lot more in it, but if i'd put it all in I think it may have been classed as a novel by itself, so it shall have to stretch to the next chapter!  
>Lot's of mixed opinions about Draco and also a few about George - which was interesting to read :) - and some of you ask suuuuch difficult questions that I cannot answer as I do not want to ruin anything!<strong>

**Just a thank you to:  
>Alpenwolf<br>Lovely Rain Dancer  
>Poppy5972<br>talyag  
>Val<br>Reader  
>BooksEqualsGreaterThanLife<br>Naflower05  
>Your reviews made my fingers extremely typing happy :) x<strong>


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Final year of my Law degree is my only excuse, and thankfully it paid off. I can only apologise. The next chapter is written and I will update next week - if there is anyone there still reading this I cannot thank you enough xxxx**

**Chapter 23:**

Eve and Althea were half way to the greenhouses for Herbology when a distant cry caught their attention.

'Eve!'

It wasn't the shout that startled Eve, but rather _who _was calling her name, and Eve could tell by Althea's raised eyebrows that she was not alone in her surprise.

Eve turned and watched in silence as Anastasia marched intently towards them, an expression that could either indicate determination or rage set upon her face.

Eve hoped for the former.

When Anastasia came to a halt, one step closer than would generally be considered polite, Eve was made acutely aware that Ana stood one whole head taller than herself.

'Ana, what d'you –' she began, but was quickly cut off.

'Why did you do it?' Anastasia demanded, her hands placed on her hips.

'What did I -?' Eve repeated dumbly, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

'Why did you _do it?' _Ana repeated, her gaze set levelly over Eve's shoulder and she spoke as if every word were struggling to escape her clenched teeth.

'Do _what?' _Eve asked.

'You know what! Why did you take the blame for me?'

Eve blinked.

_Is that really what this is about?_

It had been over a week since she had taken the blame for Anastasia, and exactly a week since she had served the consequential detention. Unconsiously, Eve traced her fingers lightly over the scars on the back of her hand.

'Oh _that' _she sighed 'because you would have gotten into trouble with your mum.'

'And you wouldn't?'

'No, I wouldn't' Eve replied smoothly 'I _didn't' _she corrected herself.

'Why would you care if I got into trouble?'

'I don't know Anastasia' Eve sighed 'because you're my Dorm Mate, and you're in Hufflepuff, and from what I gather we're supposed to look out for each other.'

'_Don't _say '_we'' _Anastasia barked.

'Woah! Ana you need to calm down!' Althea 's shocked voice interrupted.

'I am _nothing _like her –'

'Fine' Eve snapped, and turning on her heel continued on her path towards the Greenhouses.

'No – wait, Eve – _wait!'_

Eve turned, utterly baffled, raising an eyebrow expectantly.

'He killed my Dad.'

Whatever she had been expecting, that had not been it, and Eve felt her mouth fall open. She did not need clarification, she knew who the '_he´_ was that Ana was referring too, and she also knew that '_he' _was in fact not guilty of the crime.

'Sirius Black killed twelve Muggles that day, Eve. My dad was one of them.'

'Ana, I –'

'And you look like him.'

'I – No I look like my mum' Eve blinked, surprised.

'Not the eyes, I've got photos…I've looked at those eyes over and over and – and you have them. You have the eyes –'

'Ana, I'm sorry about your father'

Ana nodded, her eyes finally meeting Eve's, and Eve noted that she flinched slightly.

'Thank you for taking the blame.'

Ana didn't wait for a response, and quickly turned away, marching back towards the castle.

'Bloody hell, _that _was uncomfortable to witness.' Althea muttered.

When Eve didn't respond, Althea linked her arm through Eve's and gently tugged, leading her friend along the pathway.

They were a long way from friends, herself and Anastasia.

But Eve felt a small bubble of hope expand in her chest.

Perhaps they were one step closer than before.

'Sirius?'

Alina knocked on Buckbeak's door, and stepped back, waiting for a response.

Silence.

'Sirius?' she knocked three more times, this time harder.

No reply.

She felt a flicker of annoyance and curling her hands into fists she pounded the door loudly.

'SIRIUS!' she snapped.

'WHAT?' came Sirius' irate response, and Alina counted silently to ten before continuing.

'Can I come in?'

No reply.

'SIRIUS!'

'FINE!'

Clenching her teeth together, and breathing in slowly, Alina entered the room and found Sirius bare chested and wearing a pair of loose Muggle jeans, sitting beside the Hippogriff.

'What do you want?' he snapped.

She noted that he hadn't shaved.

'Well I _would _like to know what side of the bed you've been getting out of for the last few weeks, for a start! Because I recommend you try the other side from now on!' she replied tartly 'but for now, I'm going Christmas shopping, is there anything you'd like me to get?'

'Christmas isn't for another month' he bit back scathingly.

'Well I haven't been able to celebrate it for the last fourteen years, so forgive me for getting excited for it this year!'

She cursed herself for rising to the bait, and turned to leave the room, regretting ever having entered it in the first place.

'Are you going to tell me what you're hiding from me?'

His words caused her to freeze in her steps and her heart rate increased instantly.

'I don't know what you're talking about' she replied slowly, not turning back to face him.

He scoffed at her words 'don't think I haven't noticed you and Moony whispering, and I can feel that you're anxious you know, I know something's scaring you – If Eve's in trouble, or Harry I swear to God Alina –'

'They're fine, Sirius! This has _nothing _to do with them – and there's nothing going on anyway!' she quickly corrected herself 'you're being paranoid'

She didn't wait for a response, one that would increase the guilt she was already experiencing, instead she quickly rushed from the room and down into the hallway, intending to escape the house as soon as possible.

She was startled, but not surprised to run into Remus at the doorway.

'Going out?' he smiled.

'Christmas shopping' she replied, trying and failing to force a smile onto her face.

'Sirius?' he guessed rightly, the smile fading from his lips.

'He knows something is going on Remus, he knows we're hiding something.'

'Of course he does Alli, he's not an idiot. But you're the one who thought it was for the best –'

'It _is _for the best! if he knew one of the Deatheaters that took me, that took Eve, had been hovering around – do you really think he would stay put? He wouldn't _care _about getting caught again!'

'I know Alli'

'The Malfoy kid made it _clear _that they all know about his Animagus form –'

'I know Alli'

'And Rowles has been back_ twice_ already, we'll catch him next time! And when we do, when he's safely here in Headquarters, _then _we can tell him what's going on.' She let out a sigh and smiled wearily at Remus 'good luck with him today, he's in one of his best moods'

She waved him goodbye, and a few minutes later, she was strolling through Diagon Alley, refusing to spare a seconds thought on Sirius Black.

'Did I actually hear that right?'

Barely a second after Alina had apparated, Remus' heart was almost obliterated by the dreaded sound of his best friend's voice .

He closed his eyes for a second, panic and nausea consuming his chest, before turning to the source of the voice, and finding Sirius standing at the top of the staircase, making his way towards him, his expression darker than even his name.

'I _said,_' his voice was dangerously soft 'did I _actually _hear that right?'

'Yes, Sirius' Remus' voice sounded gruff and he cleared his throat 'you heard right.'

'So _you're _telling me, that there have been countless sightings of one of the men responsible for taking Alina, Eve, for destroying my LIFE?'

Remus jumped as Sirius' voice suddenly exploded in volume, his stormy eyes bulging.'AND YOU KEPT IT FROM ME?!'

'Sirius, it was for your own safety – Alina was scared you'd –'

'SINCE WHEN DID YOU ANSWER TO ALINA?' Sirius yelled '_WE'RE _THE MARAUDER'S REMUS, NOT ALINA, US!'

'Sirius –'

'And let me guess – Alina's been putting herself _right _in the middle of it all? Been on guard, waiting for him to appear again –'

'Sirius it's a mission given to –'

'She is_ not_ your responsibility, she is no one else's responsibility, she is _mine!' _he spat 'she had no right to put herself in danger without telling me, this has EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ME!'

'I know, Sirius, but –'

'No _buts _Moony – you owed me the truth, keeping secrets is what destroyed us before!'

'Padfoot –'

'_Don't' _Sirius hissed 'just – don't'

Remus just stood and watched helplessly as his friend glared at him in disgust, before he turned, stomping back up his stairs. The slam that followed a few seconds later seemed to tremor through the entire house.

Remus exhaled a breath he had not known that he was holding and tiredly made his way into the kitchen.

One cup of tea later, he was attempting to write up a report for Dumbledore, but the nervous sensation that plagued the pit of his stomach was making it a difficult process.

From past experience, Sirius was one to loudly take out his anger, and Grimmauld Place was earily quiet.

_Surely he hasn't snuck out. He wouldn't be that foolish…_

A new sense of dread replaced his nerves, and with a scrape Remus jumped up from his seat, and rushed across the kitchen.

_Of course he'd be that foolish, it was Sirius Black!_

He tore open the kitchen door and flew into the hallway, before freezing in disbelief.

'All right, Moony!' a widely grinning Sirius greeted him, jumping the last two steps on the staircase.

'Sirius! W-What are you –' Remus spluttered.

'Fancied a cuppa, and maybe a piece of that Bread and Butter pudding Molly made' Sirius replied merrily, moving past him into the kitchen.

As Sirius hustled and bustled around the kitchen, whistling as he did so, Remus stood staring at him in confusion.

'Sirius…why are you so happy all of a sudden?'

'What do you mean, my dear Moony!' Sirius grinned back 'why _wouldn't _I be happy?'

Suspicion had fully wormed its way through Remus now, and he narrowed his eyes at his grinning friend…a grin that he had seen far too often on Sirius' face…a grin filled with smugness.

A tap on the window broke Remus from his thoughts, and his eyes followed the sound, surprised to see Fawkes waiting to be given access. Quickly, Remus crossed the room and opened the window for the Phoenix, taking the parchment that the creature was offering to him.

As he tore open the letter, he noted that whilst in Dumbledore's hand, it had been hurriedly written. His eyes flickered back to his friend, who was now smirking at him and looking far too pleased with himself.

Remus paused.

'What have you done, Sirius?'

Sirius' grin widened at Remus' question.

'Why, I just hopefully caused Alina a bit of a scene' he smirked 'taught her a bit of a lesson for keeping secrets from me.'

'What d'you me –' Remus cut off his own words, as his eyes simultaneously scanned those written on the parchment in his hands. His stomach sunk and his eyes widened.

'What did you do, SIrius?' Remus' voice was strangely cool as he spoke.

Sirius' smugness wavered a little as he caught the strange tone in his friend's voice.

'Moony, wha-' he began.

'SIRIUS, WHAT DID YOU DO?!' Remus bellowed, and Sirius' expression was immediately replaced with shock 'SIRIUS!?'

'I – I sent her a howler, that- that's all' Sirius spluttered 'why w- what's happened?'

'Oh God SIRIUS! Do you never think?'

'Remus what –'

'There was a sighting of Rowles at Alina's parents' house' Remus explained tightly 'the letter is from Dumbledore alerting me, but Alina – Alina's on first call for this, she would have been first on scene.'

'So what –'

'I just _hope _that she got that howler _before _she's gone to assist in catching a Death Eater Sirius.'

Sirius' face dropped and the two men just stood and stared at one another.

All trace of humour; gone.

The second Alina's wand vibrated in her hand, the tip growing a deep red, she forgot about the clothes she was queuing to buy in Gladrags and sprinted to the nearest apparition point, disappearing the second she entered the designated area.

When she landed, amongst the familiar surroundings of her childhood home, she was met with the sight of two crumpled bodies and it was all she could do to stifle her own scream of horror.

_Mum!_

Her mind cried out her fear, and she looked around frantically to detect any sign of the person responsible for the bodies of the two guards. She bent down, flinching at the sight of the two youthful faces of Sturgess and Haythawn, only recently recruited by the Order. She brushed her fingers along Haythawn's cheek; warm.

_He could still be here._

She didn't pause to think, instead she ran into the house.

She kept her tread light and her ears alert, suddenly very aware that she had no back up – she was supposed to _be _the backup.

A muffled sob from the kitchen caught her attention and moving swiftly, Alina followed the sound, hoping that her heart wasn't as loud as it seemed to her own ears.

She edged open the kitchen door cautiously, and peered in, her stomach lurching as her eyes absorbed the scene before her.

Two bodies lined the floor, their bodies too still to own a pulse. One dressed in the familiar uniform of Death Eater and the other…

Alina's eyes widened as recognition washed over her, and she bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood.

His body lifeless. His eyes glazed and empty. His suit uncharacteristically creased.

Her father.

'You may as well come with me, it will only be worse for you if you choose to resist' an icy voice drew her attention away from her father's body, and her blood froze as Rowles strolled into vision.

'I- I don't know what you want from me –'

Alina clenched her teeth at the confusion, the vulnerability in her mother's voice.

'Oh but you _do! _As you have so wonderfully displayed on my poor companion over there…you have _talents _that the Dark Lord is very much interested in…'

Alina's eyebrows rose, it must have been her mother who had caused the death of the other Death Eater.

'It was an accident' her mother whispered, shaking her head furiously 'I – I used to be able to…but not any more…It doesn't _work _anymore!'

Rowles' cold chuckle seemed to suck the air from Mrs Blake's lungs and the woman let out a dry sob, her blue eyes wide and unusually alert.

'Yes Anabelle, you have poisoned your body over the years, weakening the hold you have on your powers…but that is pure human weakness which holds you back' he paced slowly in front of her, his eyes devouring the cowering woman.

Alina flexed her knees, knowing that at any moment he would attack her mother. She narrowed her eyes and clenched her wand, preparing for action.

'- but what we have planned for you does not require human weakness –'

'No – please! _Please!' _Mrs Blake cried 'Frayne! Frayne! Help! Please!'

Mrs Blake's cry seemed to surprise not only Alina but Rowles as well, who froze thoughtfully for a moment, before opening his mouth to respond.

Blinking away her own shock, Alina opened her mouth, lifting her foot to step forward, when a loud screech caught her off guard and she turned around to find a large tawny owl, dropping a red letter by her feet…a red letter that was horrifically familiar.

_No, surely not, _her mind went numb with disbelief _this cannot be happening…_

'ALINA BLAKE, WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?'

_Sirius _her entire body shook from head to toe _how could he be so stupid…_

'AFTER EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH, HOW CAN YOU BE SO LYING, SNEAKY –'

His rampage was stiffled by the loud explosion of the door being torn from its hinges, and half of the wall crumbling into a pile of bricks, Alina dived to the right but cried out in pain as a heavy brick struck her on the side of the head, and immediately she felt the wetness of freely flowing blood.

'PROTEGO!' she cried desperately, flinching.

'- WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO THIS TOGETHER. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO PLACE YOURSELF IN DANGER WITHOUT –'

Rowles was not deterred by her shield, and instead began furiously shooting spell after spell at her, each one more dark and viscous than the last.

Alina rolled over once more, using the movement to propel herself to her feet, but stumbled slightly as dizziness engulfed her.

'- NO CONSIDERATION TO ANYONE ELSE –'

'M-Mum, run!' she called, slashing her wand sharply downwards, causing a kitchen chair to launch itself at the Death Eater – she was pleased to witness the connection.

The attack provided enough time for her mother to stumble across the room, and reach her daughter. Alina grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her into the hallway.

'Can you apparate?' Alina turned to her mother and asked urgently 'Mum! Can you apparate?'

Mrs Blake shook her head.

'No – No magic…'

Alina groaned.

'Okay, mum get out of here! Go!'

'- WE ARE CONNECTED, DOES THAT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?-'

She pushed her mother roughly, not waiting to watch her run and instead turning back to the kitchen doorway just in time to see the jet of red light shoot towards her.

She blocked the attack quickly and countered with her own as Rowles marched through the hole that had once held the kitchen doorway, pausing to spit blood from his mouth before grinning tauntingly at her.

'Alina!' he greeted her 'it's been so long!'

'Not long enough' Alina spat back at him, grimacing as the blood on her cheek infiltrated her mouth.

'Oh, well _that's_ not a nice way to greet an old friend' he pouted, before chuckling and causing a fresh wave of anger to pound through her veins.

_I'll teach him a lesson _she smirked to herself, gathering the trendles of electricity pulsing through her body and pushing forwards with her mind.

Rowles let out a cry as he was propelled into the destroyed pile of brickwork behind him, but Alina barely had a moment to revel in her success before the dizziness once again returned, combined with a startling wave of nausea.

She lurched over, heaving, and throwing an arm out to support herself, noticing with alarm that as she hunched over, a pool of blood was gathering on the floor before her, dripping from her head.

_Not good._

'Seems like your little tricks aren't going to save you this time, Alina.' Rowles' voice was raspy, indicating the pain that he was in, but Alina was terrified that he was correct.

She attempted to stand upright, but all that she could make out was the blurred silhouette of the Death Eater approaching. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, but instead it was replaced with small stars.

_Not good, not good at all _she acknowledged as another wave of nausea hit her _focus, Alina, focus!_

'The Dark Lord _knew _that your mother was damaged, but still held her uses…imagine how pleased he shall be when I return with the matching set –'

Alina heaved once again at his words, the contents of her stomach bringing themselves up.

'How classy' Rowles wheezed.

'Piss off' Alina managed to growl.

'Enough of the foreplay, Alina, it's time to go _home'_

Alina raised her wand, in a desperate attempt to form a shield, but was prevented from doing so as a figure dived forward, launching upon Rowles, taking him as much by surprise as Alina.

'WHA-?' he cried.

Alina blinked furiously, trying to prevent the world from spinning so violently, desperately trying to grasp what was taking place.

A struggle between two people; tearing at one another with equal vigour. There were no spells, just limbs, fists, fingers, flying everywhere.

'Wha – what's –' Alina stumbled as she pulled herself upright, blinking once more and her vision slightly beginning to improve.

Improve enough for her to recognise the blonde hair and willowy frame of the figure in the altercation with Rowles. Improve enough for her to cry out in horror as she watched Rowles gain the upper hand. Improve enough for her to forget her wand and instinctively throw every ounce of power she could muster at the Death Eater before her, anything to protect the woman he clasped by the neck.

'MUM!' the words tore from Alina's lips as the power escaped her, and were immediately followed by a sharp pain exploding from the left side of her head.

A loud crack sounded, and suddenly everything was moving too fast.

It were as if she were on a carasoul moving faster and faster, the world filled with bright colours and shapes, a roaring sound vibrated through her ears.

'Mum?' her voice was faint, and she felt her knees buckle, the nausea returned.

_Breathe, breathe, breathe _she repeated the instruction over and over until the words seemed to echo around her.

'Breathe, breathe, breathe' the instructions were no longer her own, the voice was deeper, huskier and less desperate; Sirius.

She listened to his voice, taking deep breaths until the world began to slow, and with one final shaky exhale, her vision became less obscured.

'Mum?' her voice croaked, and she scrambled tentatively from the floor.

She scanned the hallway, taking in the destruction around her. It seemed that her final attack had destroyed nearly all of the wide hallway and part of the winding staircase leading down into it. The paintings and photographs on the walls were singed and cracked.

'Mum?' her voice was thick, and strangely small in the hall.

The loud crack that she had heard suddenly came back to her, and she closed her eyes with understanding, with recognition; Rowles had apparated away, taking her mother with him.

A dull buzzing seemed to vibrate through the air around her, and Alina had to swallow the saliva building in her mouth, the threat of vomit present once again.

Feeling weak, feeling a failure, she slowly dragged herself to her feet and knowing that it was probably not the most sensible idea in the condition she was in, she apparated back to Grimmauld place.

'Alli!'

'Alina?!'

'Thank God you're all right! When we didn't hear from you, we thought – well, we were about to send back up.'

Alina blinked, taking in the concerned faces around her, sweeping them until her eyes settled on Sirius, who hung back from them all, looking suitably ashamed of himself.

'Do you realise how stupid you are?' her voice was soft, weary.

'Yes'

She had not expected the utter resignation in his tone.

'I should have told you' she offered quietly.

'Yes' he agreed.

Remus and Bill shifted uncomfortably at the exchange.

'But even if I wasn't there, you could have given up your whereabouts, people would have known that _I _knew where you were –' she flinched and swayed slightly.

'Alli, we need to get you some medical attention, your head is completely cut open-'

Alina held up her hand indicating one more minute.

'Sirius, one day your impulsiveness is going to get one of us killed.'

Sirius paled at her words, his eyes darkening, but he did not argue.

Alina turned to Bill and Remus.

'Sturgess and Haythawn are dead, as is a Death Eater and my father.' She ignored the reactions her words received 'you need to tell Dumbledore that they have her, Voldemort has my mother.'


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24:**

Huddled around the Hufflepuff fireplace, Eve, Althea and Piper sat warming their bitterly cold fingers , having spent the better half of their Saturday afternoon down at the Quidditch Pitch, watching Hufflepuff lose to Slytherin.

Despite the lack of a win, the common room was abuzz with a lively atmosphere, and as Althea had explained;

'if we all got depressed every time Hufflepuff lost at Quidditch, we'd never leave our dorm rooms– no offence Pip'

Piper, as jolly as ever, had taken the loss in her stride, and instead had broached a subject which had caused the other two girls to exchange glances of glee.

'Did you see who Elias was sitting with at the game today?' she asked, her voice a little too controlled.

'Can't say I did – what about _you _Eve?' Althea replied innocently, a twinkle in her eye.

'I'm not too sure' Eve replied softly 'I'd assume Davey and Patrick –'

'- it was Andrea Whiter' Piper quickly interceded.

'Oh, really? I didn't notice' Althea smiled and began flicking through her herbology book, dog-earing the pages on areas that caught her interest, as they fell back into a comfortable silence.

After a few minutes Piper spoke again.

'He's been spending quite a lot of time with her recently'

Althea raised her eyebrows.

'Has he?'

'Yeah' Piper fidgeted in her seat 'd'you think he likes her?'

Althea and Eve exchanged another glance, this time slight concern etching across their features.

'I'm sure he doesn't, Piper' Eve replied.

'Not half as much as he likes you!' Althea added, and Piper's cheeks flushed indignantly.

'What are you talking about? I-I don't _care _if he likes her or not…I just thought it was – it was – _curious!' _she spluttered.

Neither girl bothered to argue and instead threw knowing smirks at her.

'Oh yes' Althea agreed '_very curious indeed.'_

Whatever retort Piper opened her mouth to make would never be known, as the rush of excited chatters and cries drew their attention to the far side of the common room where a growing commotion was taking place.

'Hello, most humble Hufflepuffs!' a bright voice sounded above the others.

'We mean no harm!' another chimed in.

'We even bring sweets – _please _help yourselves!'

Another scuffle sounded with loud chattering following, before a variety of bright coloured puffs ignited and cries of surprise emitted.

'CANARY CREAMS!' the voice cried brightly 'ON SALE NOW!'

'CURTESY OF WEASLEY WIZARD WHEEZES!'

'What are they _doing _here!' Anastasia came and joined them by their seats, her eyes trained on two approaching red heads.

'I have one idea –' Piper began, glancing at her friend.

'Evie!' Fred pushed his way past the crowd of students, and was soon followed by George.

'Just the girl we were looking for!'

'Ten points to me' Piper muttered to herself, smirking.

'How did you get in here?' Eve asked, bemused.

'Oh Eve, _really?'_ Fred shook his head, his tone disappointed.

'Please take a second to consider who you are talking to' George added.

'Fair enough' she chuckled 'so to what do I owe this pleasure?'

'Ah!' Fred beamed.

'I'm glad you asked!'

'We have a small favour to ask of you –'

'a miniscule favour really –'

'minute even –'

'-diminutive –'

'All right, all right!' she laughed, cutting them off 'what do you want?'

'Well have you gotten detention for next weekend, yet?' Fred asked her.

'No I haven't got detention' she replied, before growing indignant 'and what do you mean, _yet?'_

'Oh come on Evie' George grinned 'you're almost in detention as often as Harry.'

Eve opened her mouth to protest but Althea cut in.

'He has a point Eve' she shrugged 'that scar on your hand is going to reach the bone at the rate you're going'

Althea's bitter tone was not new to Eve, but surprise hit her like a breaking wave when she saw a strangely sharp expression form on George's face as his eyes flickered down to her hand.

She shifted her arm uncomfortably, concealing the scarred hand from sight, but not before George had caught a glimpse, the familiar humour in his eyes darkening to something else.

'So what do you want me to do next weekend?' she broke the slight silence that had fallen.

'Well I've only gone and landed myself a romantic Friday night and Saturday morning in Chateux de Umbridge' Fred wiggled his eyebrows suggestively 'and we have some business that we need to take care of in Hogsmeade –'

'Business?' Eve inquired.

'Oh you know, Weasley Wizard Wheezes stuff' George replied vaguely.

'And said business requires _two _people –'

'So you want my help' she concluded.

'Evie, I would be _delighted _if you would join me in Hogsmeade next weekend' George grinned at her, his eyes setting firmly on her own, and she felt her lips widening into a natural smile.

'Fine, I'll meet you in the entrance hall' she laughed.

'Brilliant!'

'I _knew _there was a reason we kept you!'

'I've told you before, George! I am _not_ a pet!'

They didn't seem to acknowledge her words and instead just waved enthusiastically at her as they exited the common room.

'So first Draco Malfoy, and now the Weasley twins –' Althea turned to Eve.

'You're friends with Potter, Granger and Weasley –'

'She knows Ginny too!' Ana added.

'Are you going to explain to us how it is you seem to know the most well- known people at Hogwarts?' Piper demanded.

'I- er – my mum knows the Weasley's t-that's all!'

She could feel their looks of doubt burning into her, but she kept her gaze on the fire, feigning a sudden interest in it.

In fact, she was soon drawn into the familiar flickering of the flames and found herself easily falling back into her old habit. The fire danced invitingly towards her, and she saw the formation of that same face, blonde hair, beautiful, reaching out to her…an archway of light…and then her father, his eyes wide –'

'Eve?'

Eve jumped, breaking her eyes from the flames, and finding herself back in reality.

'I _said _are you coming to dinner?' Althea shook her head with exasperation.

'Oh, yes, of course!' Eve spluttered, jumping up from her seat and following her friends.

She could not help throwing a glance over her shoulders at the fireplace as she went.

* * *

><p>Eve met George in the Entrance Hall the following weekend, and they made their way into Hogsmeade, battling against the obnoxiously strong wind that seemed to be working against the Hogwarts Pupils.<p>

'S-So where are we going?' Eve shivered, hugging her thick coat tighter to herself.

George didn't respond, eyeing her for a moment before shaking his head and removing his scarf, handing it to her wordlessly.

'George – I'm fine –' the raised eyebrow she received cut her off and blushing she thanked him, taking the wool scarf and wrapping it around her own neck.

They continued walking and Eve caught George glancing at her.

'What?' she demanded, feeling self conscious.

'Nothing' George shrugged 'the colour looks good on you'

Eve cursed herself for blushing again, realising that the scarf was decorated with Gryffindor colours.

'Well I suppose I have to at least have a bit of Gryffindor _stupidity _for coming with you today' she smirked.

'We _prefer _the term Gryffindor _courage_' he corrected, his eyes twinkling.

'Same difference' Eve shrugged.

'I'm starting to see a difference in you, Evie' George's eyes scanned her 'you've seemed to have acquired quite the attitude.'

Eve opened her mouth to reply, but her mind went blank and instead she resorted to sticking out her tongue at him.

They continued along the path in a companionable silence, until Eve realised that they were veering away from the beaten track that the other students were following.

'Erm – George?'

'So, how much do you actually know about Hogsmeade?' George asked brightly, and Eve frowned with confusion.

'For instance, _did you know_ that it is the only all-wizard village in England?'

'Erm…no?'

'Well, there's some trivia for you!' he grinned.

'George, _what _are you talking about!?'

George glanced over his shoulders, and unconsciously Eve found herself mimicking him; they were entirely alone.

Once satisfied with their privacy George stopped walking and leaned in conspiratorially.

'You know this is all for Weasley's Wizard Wheeze's business' he began, and Eve nodded quickly, hurrying him to the point.

'Well in order for us to _create _our products, a certain amount of experimentation is needed – no, don't worry I'm not going to be experimenting on you!' George quickly clarified when he noted her hesitant expression 'but we _do _need a certain plant in order to complete our brand of fireworks.'

'Okay…' Eve nodded slowly.

'The plant we need is called a _Lux Splendida' _he began walking again and Eve stumbled over her feet to follow him 'it's a plant with very high magical properties and as such it only grows in areas exuding high amounts of magic –'

'- like _Hogsmeade' _Eve finished, finally catching on.

'Exactly!' George beamed 'we've spent the last couple of months trying to locate it and we've finally found some growing – but then Fred went and got detention, and we _really _need it this weekend to complete the final batch…'

'So we're going to get it now?' Eve questioned.

'Precisely!'

Eve let out a deep breath.

'That sounds simple enough' she smiled 'I thought it was going to be a lot worse –' something in George's expression cut her off and her eyes rested upon him questioningly.

'Well you see, Evie, the _Lux Splendido _has really strong defensive properties – it's not susceptible to a simple knife or lawn mower…so we may have to get inventive'

'Okay' Eve nodded 'that's still not as bad as I was imagining' she chuckled.

'And – erm – Eve?' George added.

'Yes?'

'You're not too opposed to breaking and entering, right?'

Eve closed her eyes.

_That was more along the lines her imagination had taken._

They continued along the empty pathway, which led them into a wooded area, and under the shadows of the leaveless trees Eve felt a shiver of discomfort.

'You all right?' George asked with concern.

'Fine' she shrugged, hugging her clothes tighter, she couldn't muster the effort to elaborate.

'It's just around this corner – _and _here we are!' George whispered.

Eve eyed the wooden fence and glanced at George with a grimace.

The wood was discoloured, and many of the planks making up the fence appeared to be breaking away from the foundations.

Clearly, George had inspected the fence as he marched directly to the left and pulled back two panels, revealing a gap big enough for them to fit through.

He turned to grin at her.

'No wards on the edge of the property, only on the house – convenient huh?'

'Yeah…convenient' she whispered, letting out a breath and following him through the fence.

They found themselves in what appeared to be a large garden, but it was far too overgrown with tangles of weeds to qualify as such.

Eve hissed lowly as the brambles they were walking through scratched sharply at her ankles.

'Sorry' George muttered 'it's just over – _here!'_

George's excited grin seemed out of place as his arm extended, directing her attention to a small cluster of light green shrubs. Eve wasn't sure what she had expected, but with a name like _splendido _it was definitely more than the extremely in-extraordinary plant she was looking at.

George raised an eyebrow at her, and pulled out his wand.

'Revealo' he muttered, pointing his wand at the shrubs, and Eve's eyebrows shot up as from within the dull shrubs, a stem, topped with a bud began to extend.

It continued to grow until it reached just above George's ankles, where the bud then slowly opened, and Eve could not mask her gasp.

The flower which revealed itself was a startling shade of fushia, but it was not the petals which amazed Eve, it was the stigma extending from the middle; a shimmering gold, then a bright green, an illuminous yellow – it continued to change colour every few seconds.

'That's –'

'- exactly what we need' George completed, his blue eyes sparkling with delight 'so can you keep watch for me?'

Eve blinked, forgetting for a moment that there was a reason George had asked her to come.

'Oh, yeah' she replied, feeling foolish 'of course'

She pulled out her own wand and moved away from George, scanning the area, and eyeing the distant house, set about one hundred metres away from her position, noting that it was almost as uncared for as the garden that surrounded it.

She could hear George muttering various charms, and the growing frustration in his tone suggested that his attempts weren't working.

Eve leaned against the tree, twirling her wand between her fingers as the minutes ticked by and her boredom growingly increased.

Just as she was about to turn back and see if George had made any progress, a jolt of ice shot through her veins, and suddenly Eve found her senses on red alert.

She was unsure what had made her react in such a way, but immediately she tightened her grip on her wand and with far more care she scanned the area around her.

It was silent, there was no change in the area, but Eve couldn't shake the strange sensation flooding through her.

And she always followed her instincts.

Just as she was about to edge forward, a sudden rustle from the overgrowth near the edge of the house caused her to spring back as two birds flew from their cover and up into the sky.

Eve's heart began to pound against her ribcage; something had spooked those birds.

She turned from the house and ran back to George, her breath catching as a loud cry sounded from behind her.

'WHO'S THERE?'

She flung herself around the final tree, and found George, still in the position she had left him in, kneeling down by the plant and staring up at her in shock.

'Someone's here, we have to go!' Eve hissed, shooting a glance over her shoulder.

George paled.

'W-Wait, I haven't got the plant yet!' he began shooting spells recklessly at the plant, his fingers shaking slightly.

'George, _come on!' _Eve hissed, bouncing from toe to toe.

'No, _wait_, i can't leave the plant –'

At that moment a sharp bolt of red light shot through the trees, hitting the ground a few feet short of them, but serving as a strong warning.

'George we _have to go!'_

'The plant!'

'Oh for Goodness sake! _Move!' _

Eve barged George out of her way, throwing a glance over her shoulders before moving to take his place.

'_Nheideas' _she hissed urgently and immediately the plant shredded from the roots with a shrill cry.

'_Accio' _George quickly added, summoning the pieces into a small pot in his hand, before grabbing her roughly by the arm and pulling her to her feet.

Eve did not need any encouragement and immediately she turned and ran for the fence, her heart pounding as hard as her feet as she ran.

Once they were through the fence they did not stop running, they didn't pause for breath or to converse, they continued to run until they reached the very edges of the village, the familiar sign for the Three Broomsticks pub in clear sight.

'That – was – BRILLIANT!'

George managed to catch his breath enough to express his exhilleration, and Eve simply clutched her chest, wheezing in deep breaths.

They remained that way for a few more minutes, until Eve felt that words were once again a possibility.

'How did you _do _that? I couldn't get that plant to budge an inch!' George grinned.

'I'm good at spells like that' Eve shrugged lightly.

'What, shredding things to pieces?' George chuckled, but his humour faltered when Eve once again shrugged nonchalantly.

'Thanks for coming today, Eve' he added more seriously, and without being able to place the reason, Eve blushed once again.

'It's fine' she replied quietly, their eyes meeting for a second.

George cleared his throat.

'Fred should be out of his detention by now' he continued 'he's going to meet us at the Hogs Head.'

'The Hogs Head?' Eve frowned.

'You know, the meeting? With Harry?' George clarified.

'Oh' Eve nodded with understanding 'I'm not going to that.'

'_What?'_ George frowned, genuine confusion consuming his expression 'why not?'

Eve's expression grew tight, her lips pursed together and she clasped her hands together, ringing them in her discomfort.

'I can defend myself perfectly well' she told him 'I am not about to start flaunting around, joining some mini _Order of the Phoenix'_

'But –'

'But nothing!'

Suddenly Eve's calm demeanor faded, and her grey eyes blazed, power, almost tangible in its might, seemed to ooze from her aura, and George stared at her with fresh eyes.

'_I _know what the other side are capable of. _I _know what _He _is capable of and I am not about to run into battle with him! I'm finally _here_ and I am not going to risk going back there!'

It was the first time George had ever heard her mention anything about her previous life; before the summer. And George felt like he was finally seeing her for the first time.

She was not just a new fourth year pupil. She was no ordinary Witch.

She finally stood before him, no longer blushing or trembling, but instead exuding power and strength.

Wherever she had been, whoever had kept her, they had, in fact, _kept her. _And there had to be a reason to keep a prisoner alive.

'I'm definitely going to have to get you a muzzle' he smiled lightly, trying to ignore the warmth of pleasure he experienced at finally seeing the placid girl _spark. _

Eve remained still for a moment, a flicker of annoyance clouding her eyes, before humour twitched at her lips.

'And maybe a cage to carry you around in –'

He artfully dodged the slap she aimed at his arm.

' – definitely a cage!' he repeated, calling over his shoulder and waving farewell.

'See you around, Evie.'

* * *

><p>Eve considered hovering around, perhaps exploring more of Hogsmeade, but the bitter chill attacking her cheeks made the warmth of the Hufflepuff Common Room seem far too appealing to resist.<p>

She tucked her chin down into George's scarf, and marched back in the direction of the castle.

As the castle gates came into sight, so did a group of boys, one of whom possessed a head of white blonde hair.

'DRACO!'

The group all froze and turned back at her cry, and Eve sped up her approach, waving as she moved.

'DRACO!' she called again.

Draco's eyes rested upon her as she neared and subsequently widened in surprise. She watched as he froze for a moment, straightening his back and turning to mutter something to his companions, all of whom sniggered in response to his words and turned to her, their eyes glinting maliciously.

Draco moved smoothly towards her, his expression guarded.

'Hi –' Eve began, but with his back now to his friends, his expression had become thunderous.

'What are you _doing?'_ he hissed 'you can't go around calling my name as if we're best friends, Eve!'

'But we are?' Eve's voice was small, and Draco sighed at her words, his expression softening.

'Eve – you know it's not as simple as that' he held her gaze, and his shoulders sagged slightly.

'I know' Eve's eyes fell to the floor, and she shifted her feet awkwardly 'but I miss you.'

'All it takes is one person to open their mouths, to make _one _comment' his voice held a rare tone of gentleness, and he paused to glance over his shoulder.

'You watched me fly' Eve stated.

'Yes – you're awful.'

'No I am not!' she snapped indignantly, and Draco's eyes sparkled slightly with amusement.

'Okay, not awful' he relented.

'Why?'

'Why _what?' _

Eve rolled her eyes.

'Why did you come and watch me fly?'

Draco faltered, the teasing smile fading from his lips.

'To talk to you' he seemed torn in his response.

'So why –'

'Eve I've really got to go –' Draco turned back to his friends.

'So when _can _we talk?' Eve demanded quietly.

Draco froze, his forehead creasing as he fought what appeared to be an internal battle with himself.

'Next Friday, the Quidditch Pitch at midnight.'

He didn't bid her farewell, or glance back at her even once.

One minute he was there, and the next he was gone, leaving her alone and once again very aware of how cold it was.

That night, once she was finally warm under her thick duvet, Eve's dreams caused her to toss and turn restlessly.

She heard a woman's cry, shouting a name desperately.

She saw her father's widened eyes, surprise etched on his features.

George grabbed her arm, telling her to run, but she kept tripping, falling over the large scarf that was wrapped a countless amount of times around her neck and shoulders.

And then Draco, hovering on a broom and extending his hand out to her, and just as she went to take it he would fly away.

It was the worst night sleep she had had at Hogwarts.**  
><strong>

**A/N: I am so glad to know that at least a few of you are still out there! I know i'm rubbish with updating now, a law degree and now teacher training are completely to blame - and the fact that my muse has packed up her belongings and decided to go off travelling with very little communication with me! **

**Thank you for those of you who reviewed, you're amazing! Please keep them coming - just so i know you're there and how i'm doing :)**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Just a brief note to say I am sorry for my slow updates, you know how it is, life being way to busy. Not going to make lots of excuses, just say if you're still reading thank you! I am reading all of your reviews and I appreciate them all! I will do my best to reply to you all from now on and to be a lot more regular with my updates! Thank you x**

**Chapter 25:**

_I'll see you tonight.  
>Qudditch Pitch.<br>Midnight._

_D_

Eve could not contain the smile that crept across her lips as she read the note. She folded it carefully and tucked it inside her robes.

'What are _you _smiling at?' Piper grinned knowingly.

'Nothing' Eve replied, a blush betraying her.

'That's not a note from a certain red-head is it?' she continued.

Eve opened her mouth to reply, before frowning.

'Does that owl look injured to you?' she asked instead.

At her words, Althea looked up from her book and climbed up from her seat in the common room.

'It's wing has definitely been hurt' she agreed after a quick inspection 'I need to send a letter, I'll drop by Professor Grubbly-Plank on the way'

Althea gently lifted the owl into her arms and nodded her farewell.

A few seconds after her departure, Piper returned her attention back to Eve, a smirk neatly in place.

'So…about that letter…'

Eve groaned, reluctantly letting out a small giggle.

'It _was _from George!' Piper beamed triumphantly.

'Piper, shh!' Eve looked around quickly to check that nobody was listening 'and no, it was from my Mum actually!'

'Yeah, whatever' Piper chuckled 'you're a rubbish liar. But if you want to keep your love letters private then it's up to you.'

Silently, Eve let out a sigh of relief that Piper was not in the mood to be more persistent. It allowed her to return to her thoughts about her meeting with Draco that evening. It also allowed her a brief moment to reflect on the swooping sensation in the pit of her stomach, when Piper had mentioned George's name.

* * *

><p>The day, Eve mused, could not have gone any slower. Potions, as always, had been horrendous. Followed by double Defence Against the Dark Arts with Umbridge – which thankfully had not resulted in detention. And finally, an afternoon with Professor Binns.<p>

The evening itself had even crept by, but eventually, night had fallen, students had gone to bed, and Eve was able to silently slip out of the Common Room.

The darkness sent chills of fear through her and she found herself jumping at every shadow that flickered as she moved past it. It was a relief when she left the confines of the castle and felt the fresh crispness of the night air on her cheeks.

As she approached the Quidditch pitch she heard two familiar voices from behind the changing rooms. She smiled slightly at the identical cackles that sounded, and briefly considered going to make her presence known to them, but quickly thought better of it; she did not want to answer questions as to why she was wandering the grounds at midnight.

She turned to creep past on the far side of the building when the mention of her father's name caught her attention.

Almost unconsciously, she found herself sneaking closer, until she was standing on the edge of the building, concealing herself around the corner from where they stood.

'- _Ron said Sirius is all for the Defence group, he said that he and Harry's dad would have done the same thing when they were young!'_

'_So we're technically following the wishes of the original Marauders' _just from Fred's tone, Eve could tell that he was grinning.

'_Precisely!' _George sounded equally pleased '_although even I have to say it was a bit of a risky move, floo-ing into Gryffindor Common Room!'_

Eve's insides went cold at his words.

'_Well we're hardly ones to judge – risky is our favourite hobby –'_

All plans of concealing her presence had evaporated and Eve found herself stepping boldly around the corner, making each twin jolt backwards in surprise.

'_Bloody hell, _Eve!' George clutched his chest.

'What are _you _doing here!?' Fred added, with his eyebrows raised.

'What do you _mean _my dad floo-ed Gryffindor Common Room?' she demanded, a slight shake evident in her tone.

'Welll – I – _we – _erm –' Fred spluttered, and George just watched her silently.

'He floo-ed Harry?' she asked, her throat tightening.

George's eyes flashed, and she knew he had caught the hurt in her expression.

'It was only because of the Defence meetings he's planning – not because he…' George's voice trailed off.

'Not because he prefers Harry?' she concluded.

'Evie –'

'- the owls were being intercepted so he couldn't write it, that's the only reason'

Eve felt her eyebrows rise at this news, and for a moment her mind thought back to the injury the school owl had sustained earlier that day. She quickly brushed the thought from her mind, nothing of that correspondence held any interest to Umbridge.

'I have to go' she finally said.

'Go where?' Fred quickly asked 'Eve, why are you out at this time –?'

'If you don't ask questions, neither will I? 'She replied, smiling lightly, before she hurried away. Pausing around the corner to check they weren't going to follow her, before she continued her approach to the pitch.

She tried to push the news from her mind, but with every step she took she could feel her emotions swelling in her chest. It was ridiculous. But she couldn't prevent the light sob that caught in her throat.

When her eyes settled upon Draco's lone figure, sitting with perfect posture in the stand, she found her feet increasing in pace, until she was performing a strange half-jog, half-walk manoeuvre.

He looked up at the sound of her approach; his expression was of irritation, then surprise and then a brief flicker of concern.

'Eve?'

She stopped before him, short of breath, suddenly not knowing what to say.

His expression was, as always, well controlled, but his eyes roamed her face as if trying to determine the answers to the silent questions that he posed.

Hesitantly, and very slowly, he lifted his arms until they were resting on her shoulders and pulled her lightly towards him. She allowed him to do so, resting her head silently against his shoulder.

'Life is hard, isn't it' it was a statement that she made, not a question.

'I would have thought you would have already known that' he replied tightly.

She pulled gently away from his hold, moving to sit on the nearest bench and he followed her lead.

'This is different. It was easier when my world was just you.'

He raised an eyebrow at her words, but did not comment.

'But you prefer how it is now?' he asked.

'Of course!' she replied quickly, shuddering at the memory of her life before Hogwarts.

Draco nodded silently.

'Well, mostly' she added, thoughtfully, causing his eyes to rise to meet her own. Two sets of grey eyes piercing into one another.

'It was simpler before' he stated.

'Yes' she nodded.

'I can't be _that_ Draco here' he told her.

'I know' she replied softly 'and I can't be that Eve either.'

'You're the only person who _actually _knows me, and likes me, you know?' he smirked, and she felt her lips twitch.

'Well you're the only person I know who'd befriend a monster.' She shrugged 'except for Hagrid.'

'Don't compare me to that oaf' he snapped with irritation 'and you're not a monster –'

'Are you sure?' she asked quietly.

His reply was interrupted by a woman's voice, and instantly she and Draco were on their feet.

'Eversor?'

The air left Eve's lungs at the name. Her eyes widened and she stared at the figure that stood before them.

_How had they not heard her approach?_

It was a woman. The lines around her face betrayed her age, but otherwise she was attractive.

She was thin. _Extremely _thin. Her hair was blonde, streaked with white, and hung lank over her shoulders.

Even in the darkness, the moons light reflected across the woman's sharp features, allowing enough light for Eve to note the deep blue eyes.

'I've seen you before' she breathed.

'Who _are _you?' Draco demanded, his wand now extended before them.

The woman ignored Draco's question.

'Come with me, Eversor' the woman's tone was devoid of any emotion, it was empty and lifeless.

'Stop calling her that' Draco snapped.

The woman's head snapped towards Draco.

'_Be quiet, Draco' _she hissed.

Draco appeared too stunned that she knew his name to immediately respond, and Eve was silently thankful for that, because she had felt the crackling of power in the air as the woman has spoken.

'You're like _me'_ she breathed, staring wide eyed at the woman, fear slithering through her chest.

'Come with me, Eversor'

'How did you know I was here?' Eve asked 'how are _you _here? The wards –'

'No ward, no wizard is powerful enough to keep us out. We are all powerful. We are all knowing. Now come with me, Eversor.'

The woman took a step forward, and Eve could see the emptiness behind her eyes. The lack of presence.

'They're controlling you, aren't they?' her voice shook.

'Come with me, _Eversor'_

At the sound of her name, Eve felt the power grasp her and she stumbled forward with a cry of surprise as the woman pulled her forwards with the invisible power that crackled in the air around them.

'Eve!' Draco cried '_stupify!' _

The woman laughed, an empty, cruel laugh, as his spell faded in the air before her with a twist of her wrist.

'_What are you doing here, boy' _she spat, and Draco blinked.

'Lucius' Eve acknowledged as she scrambled to her feet.

The woman turned to her, her face empty, but the pressure of the power surrounding her bearing down upon Eve.

'Draco' Eve breathed 'run.'

'Eve –'

'Draco' this time her tone was laced with urgency 'run!'

He hesitated, and Eve didn't have time to warn him again, because she felt the swelling of the trendles of magic around her and she threw up her own protective force just in time to block the attack that was sent spiralling towards her.

Her hands shook, and terror clenched her heart with its relentless grip.

She had hardly ever fought alone. Never had she fought against someone who was like her.

She heard Draco's voice and her heart only raced faster.

'DRACO, RUN!' she screamed 'DUMBLEDORE, GET DUMBLEDORE!'

She hoped that he listened, because she had no more time to consider his presence, as the woman's arms flung outwards towards her, sending a wave of power hurtling towards her. She grimaced at the pressure it held, bringing her left arm downwards in a slashing movement to break the attack.

She grasped her wand in the other hand, thankful for one brief moment, for the considerable number of dark spells that Lucius had imbedded into her memory.

Holding her shield with her left arm, she twisted her right in a complicated succession of movements, her voice sounding harsh even to her own ears.

'Scindo Tergum'

The spell connected with the woman, but there was no scream of pain, no sign that there had been any effect at all.

Eve, however, knew otherwise, she had been exposed to the control herself, the absence of her own consciousness. At that moment, the woman was but a shell, the only way to stop her would be to kill her.

The thought sent a surge of nausea into the pit of her stomach.

_Don't be ridiculous _she told herself _you have killed before._

But this was different. This time she was not under the control of anyone else.

She dived to the right, narrowly missing the nasty beam of purple light that the woman had shot towards her, and instead of using them to soften her landing, she threw open both of her arms, clenching her teeth as she pushed as much power into the attack as she could.

She watched as the attack made impact, and let out a soft cry at the sight of the woman's fragile body being hurtled violently backwards.

She expected the woman to be on her feet in an instant, as would be her orders, but the she remained on the ground, shaking harshly.

Hesitantly, Eve approached the body, waiting for the next attack, but it never came.

Instead, the woman's head lifted slowly, and Eve saw the pain, the terror in her face.

'Alina!' the woman cried, flinching in pain as she threw herself to her knees, dragging herself towards her.

'N-No I'm not –'

'Alina! Leave!' the woman cried 'I'm sorry, so, so sorry!'

'I'm not Alina, I'm Eve' Eve didn't know why she felt that it was important to tell the woman this.

The woman blinked.

'N-No you're Alina' she shook her head 'you're my daughter.'

Eve's eyes widened, she stared at the woman before her – her grandmother.

'Run, Alina' the woman shuddered 'go to Fraye, go to _him'_

'I'm not leaving you –'

The woman let out a loud cry of agony, and Eve flinched, wondering if it was Lucius trying to regain control, or her own attack that was the source of the pain.

Her question was soon answered.

She watched as the emotion in her grandmother's eyes slowly disappeared and were clouded with emptiness.

'_No' _she whispered, stumbling backwards.

She waited for the attack, her wand held tightly in her trembling hand. Her head was aching and the nausea was growing stronger, lacing her mouth with saliva.

Her grandmother climbed gracefully to her feet, her eyes resting upon her for a moment, before growing distracted by something behind Eve.

Eve turned her head, and almost cried out with relief at the sight of the headmaster, sweeping towards them, power exuding his every movement.

She was _safe._

Her eyes looked for Draco, ready to thank him. Thank him for bringing help, for saving her.

But it was not blonde hair or grey eyes that she found. She did not need the light of the moon to help her detect the red hair, and warm brown eyes.

_George._

'Eve!' he cried, approaching her at a run.

'My grandmother –' she grasped his arms as he reached her, turning to indicate the woman.

Her eyes found nobody.

The pitch was empty.

'She was there –'she breathed, confused.

'She left as soon as she saw us approaching' Dumbledore's voice sounded from beside her 'we need to get you to the castle.'

'She was my grandmother –'she told them, in a vacant voice, allowing herself to be lead back towards the castle.

'I know, Eve' Dumbledore told her 'we will discuss what has happened when we are back at the castle, but for now, we must remain silent – we do not want to alert unwanted parties to what has occurred.'

Even in her confused state, Eve understood his meaning.

When they finally reached Dumbledore's office, having not come across anybody else on their approach, Eve sighed as she was helped into a soft armchair.

'You followed me' she turned to George.

'Are you angry?' he asked her.

She thought for a moment.

'No' she relented, keeping her eyes locked with his 'Do you think my Dad will floo?' she asked softly.

**Please review x**


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